COLUMBIAN 

KNOWLEDGE 

SERIES 


Public 

Libraries 
in  America 


FLETCHER 


NUMBER     2- 


No. 


o 


flooA: 


Santa  Barbara  Free  Public  Library 


WEI 
SUN 

Any  re 
signed  the 
shall  be  en 

Books 
slip.  Sevt 
once,  exce 

In  eve 

Books 
and  holida 

Failurt 


ailurt 
r^rt 
eafl 


able  wear 
by  the  per: 

Bgjrb 
housenwa 

Sugge 


UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


SCHOOL  OF 
LIBRARY  SERVICE 

Presented  by 

WILLIAM  E.  HINCHLIFF 

LIBRARIAN 
SANTA  BARBARA  PUBLIC 

LIBRARY 


shall  have 
guarantor, 

n  their  date 
be  renewed 
y-eightdays. 

ling  Sundays 

Exclude  bor- 
ond  reason- 
ic  Librarian, 

of  the  same 


COLUMBIAN  KNOWLEDGE    SERIES 


II 


Public  Libraries  in  America 


THE 

COLUMBIAN  KNOWLEDGE  SERIES, 

EDITED  BV 

Professor  DAVID  P.  TODD  ofAmherst  College. 

i6mo  volumes.    Cloth.    Price,  $1.00  each. 

I.   Total  Eclipses  of  the  Sun, 

By  MABEL  LOOMIS  TODD. 
II.   Public  Libraries  in  America, 

By  WILLIAM  I.  FLETCHER. 

III.  Stars  and  Telescopes:   a  Handybook 

of  Astronomy, 
By  DAVID  P.  TODD  and  WILLIAM  T.  LYNN. 

IV.  Handbook  of  Arctic  Discoveries, 

By  A.  W.  GREELY. 

And  other  volumes,  in  preparation. 


Knowledge  the  wing  -wherewith  we  fly  to  heaven 

SHAKESPEARE 

COLUMBIAN  KNOWLEDGE  SERIES 

Edited  by  Professor  TODD 

NUMBER  II 

Public    Libraries 
in  America 


BY 
aa<- 

WILLIAM   it  FLETCHER 

M.  A. 

Librarian  of '  Anther st  College 


SECON 


BOSTON 

ROBERTS    BROTHERS 
M  DCCC  XCV 


Copyright,  1894, 
BY  ROBERTS  BROTHERS. 


(Llmtirrsitii  Press; 
JOHN  WILSON  AND  SON,  CAMBRIDGE,  U.S.A. 


2 

7j 

F&3 


NO  one  familiar  with  the  inception  and  pro- 
gress of  the  public  library  in  America 
will  deny  that  it  has  a  most  significant  future. 
The  general  wholesomeness  and  undoubted 
permanence  of  the  movement  have  brought 
frequent  and  ample  gifts  and  bequests,  making 
possible  a  generous  development ;  still  there  has 
been  no  compact  and  accessible  presentation  of 
the  library  problem.  These  facts  determined  the 
inclusion  of  a  suitable  manual  in  the  Columbian 
Knowledge  Series. 

One  need  not  visit  all  the  libraries  of  the 
country  to  become  painfully  convinced  that  want 
of  adaptation  to  use  is  by  no  means  infrequent 
in  these  edifices.  With  regard  to  buildings, 
Lord  BACON'S  judgment  seems  very  safe ;  *  and 
if  true  for  houses,  then  ft  fortiori  for  libraries, 
where  architect  and  librarian  are  so  often  at  va- 
riance concerning  that  simplest  of  conditions, 

1  Houses  are  built  to  Live  in,  and  not  to  Looke  on :  Therefore 
let  Use  bee  preferred  before  Uniformitie ;  Except  where  both 
may  be  had.  Leave  the  Goodly  Fabrickes  of  Houses,  for  Beautie 
only,  to  the  Enchanted Pallaces  of  the  Poets:  Who  build  them 
with  small  Cost.  —  Essays,  xlv. 


2  Editor's  Preface 

abundant  daylight.  It  is  idle  to  blame  ambitious 
architects,  perhaps,  or  ill-informed  committees ; 
the  fact  remains  that  the  intended  benefits  to 
certain  communities  have  been  permanently  les- 
sened by  simple  lack  of  right  knowledge  at  the 
outset.  Frequently  there  has  been  a  failure  to 
appreciate  the  evolution  of  the  library  idea,  — 
from  the  early  beginnings  when  mere  preser- 
vation of  books  was  most  prominent,  and  a 
dimly  lighted  vault  above  ground  would  suffice, 
to  the  present  day,  when  convenience  and  con- 
stant use  are  paramount. 

'First,  appoint  your  librarian'  is  a  maxim 
worthy  the  attention  of  newly  formed  boards  of 
trustees ;  for,  although  the  recognition  of  libra- 
rianship  as  a  distinct  calling  is  recent,  the  rapid 
growth  of  library  interests  has  necessitated  ex- 
pert service  in  a  multitude  of  essential  details. 

But  whether  one  considers  buildings  merely, 
or  their  subsequent  outfit,  or  library  admin- 
istration, it  is  to  be  hoped  that  '  Public  Libra- 
ries in  America'  may  help  to  render  mistakes 
less  frequent  and  more  inexcusable,  besides 
serving  the  farther  purpose  of  suggesting  useful 
library  gifts  to  many  communities  now  without 

them. 

DAVID    P.  TODD. 

AMHERST  COLLEGE  OBSERVATORY, 
February  1894. 


A  LTHOUGH  the  author  has  long  had  in 
=*"A-  mind  to  bring  together  in  a  library  hand- 
book his  occasional  papers  before  meetings  of 
librarians,  in  the  Library  Journal,  and  elsewhere, 
his  intention  might  have  remained  unfulfilled 
indefinitely  but  for  Professor  TODD'S  plan  for 
such  a  volume  in  the  Columbian  Knowledge 
Series. 

The  effort  to  make  a  book  in  some  sense 
worthy  of  this  place  necessitated  the  entire 
rewriting  of  these  chapters,  and  the  addition 
of  several  new  ones;  and  the  whole  has  been 
brought  into  conformity  with  the  latest  progress 
in  library  development. 

While  the  large  volumes  of  the  Library  Jour- 
nal, now  reaching  nearly  a  score,  afford  better 
indication  of  the  number  and  importance  of 
library  subjects,  nevertheless  it  is  believed  that 
the  real  gist  of  all  these  matters  has  been  pre- 
sented here,  and  that  the  numerous  references 
will  guide  to  the  best  sources  of  ampler  infor- 
mation and  fuller  discussion. 


4  Prefatory  Note 

In  the  Appendixes  will  be  found  a  more  de- 
tailed scheme  of  classification  than  the  simple 
one  given  in  the  text  of  the  book,  a  notice  of 
gifts  for  library  purposes  with  a  tabular  state- 
ment of  the  most  important,  a  brief  discussion  of 
the  Sunday  opening  question,  specimen  library 
rules,  and  several  statistical  tables.  Attention  is 
particularly  called  to  the  diagram  representing 
the  free  library  statistics  of  the  different  States, 
and  to  the  fuller  data  regarding  the  one  hun- 
dred largest  public  libraries.  The  statistics  of 
these  have  been  obtained  at  first  hand  from 
the  librarians,  and  hearty  thanks  are  rendered 
to  the  many  who  have  given  ready  and  prompt 
co-operation ;  also  to  Professor  TODD  for  helpful 
suggestions,  and  for  actual  assistance  in  the 
preparation  of  this  book,  far  beyond  the  de- 
mands of  his  position  as  editor  of  the  series. 


WILLIAM  I.  FLETCHER. 


AMHERST  COLLEGE  LIBRARY, 
Christmas  1893. 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

I.    THE    PUBLIC-LIBRARY    MOVEMENT  :    ITS 

HISTORY  AND  SIGNIFICANCE  ....        9 
II.     LIBRARY   LAWS  :    HOW  LIBRARIES  HAVE 

BEEN  ESTABLISHED 20 

III.  THE    PUBLIC    LIBRARY    AND    THE  COM- 

MUNITY      31 

IV.  LIBRARY  BUILDINGS 40 

V.    CLASSIFICATION  AND  CATALOGUES  ...      52 

VI.     MINOR  DETAILS  OF  LIBRARY    MANAGE- 
MENT     65 

VII.     SELECTION  AND  PURCHASE  OF  BOOKS     .      68 
VIII.     REFEREXCE-WORK.      THE    PUBLIC     LI- 
BRARY IN  RELATION  TO  THE  SCHOOLS, 
TO  UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION,  ETC.    .    .      73 
IX.    THE   LIBRARIAN  :   HIS    WORK   AND    HIS 

TRAINING  FOR  IT 80 

X.    THE  AMERICAN  LIBRARY  ASSOCIATION   .      85 
XI.    A  FEW  REPRESENTATIVE  LIBRARIES  .     ,      93 


6  Contents 

PAGE 

XII.     SPECIAL  LIBRARIES 104 

XIII.    PUBLIC  LIBRARIES  IN  CANADA    .    .    .    .    in 
XJV.    THE  FUTURE  OF  THE  PUBLIC  LIBRARY  .     115 


I.  SCHEME  OF  CLASSIFICATION 121 

II.  SPECIAL  COLLECTIONS    .......  138 

III.  SUNDAY  OPENING  OF  LIBRARIES     .    „    .  140 

IV.  GIFTS  TO  LIBRARIES 143 

V.  STATISTICS 147 

VI.  LIBRARY  RULES 156 


BIOGRAPHIC  SKETCHES 159 

INDEX  ...  ....  161 


LIST   OF   PLATES 


PAGE 

BOSTON  PUBLIC  LIBRARY  :  NEW  BUILDING  .    .    Front. 

LEYDEN  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY  .......  10 

PORTRAIT  OF  GEORGE  TICKNOR 16 

CHICAGO  PUBLIC  LIBRARY:  NEW  BUILDING  .     .  23 

PORTRAIT  OF  WILLIAM  F.  POOLE 31 

AMHERST  COLLEGE  LIBRARY  :   SIX-STORY  STACK  40 

CONGRESSIONAL  LIBRARY  :  NEW  BUILDING — PLAN  42 

NEWBERRY  LIBRARY,  CHICAGO 45 

FORBES  LIBRARY,  NORTHAMPTON,  MASS.   ...  46 

FORBES  LIBRARY,  NORTHAMPTON,  MASS.  —  PLAN  48 

MERCANTILE  LIBRARY,  NEW  YORK  CITY  ...  50 

CARD-CATALOGUE  CASE 60 

PORTRAIT  OF  JUSTIN  WINSOR 65 

CONGRESSIONAL  LIBRARY:  NEW  BUILDING     .    .  73 

PORTRAIT  OF  AINSWORTH  R.  SPOFFORD    ...  80 

RIDGWAY  LIBRARY,  PHILADELPHIA 96 

MINNEAPOLIS  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 98 

HARVARD  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY  :  GORE  HALL   .  106 


PUBLIC   LIBRARIES   IN   AMERICA 


CHAPTER  I 

THE  PUBLIC-LIBRARY  MOVEMENT:    ITS  HIS- 
TORY AND  SIGNIFICANCE 

And  this,  fellow-citizens,  is  to  be  our 
intellectual  and  literary  COMMON.  — 
ROBERT  C.  WINTHROP,  Address  at 
laying  corner-stone  of  the  Boston  Public 
Library 's first  building,  1855. 

HTHE  public  library  of  to-day,  like  other  social 
•••  institutions,  is  the  result  of  a  long  evolution. 
In  one  sense  a  creation  of  the  nineteenth  century,  not 
to  say  of  its  latter  half,  in  another  and  truer  sense  it  is 
but  a  normal  development  from  its  predecessors. 

The  public  library  of  all  the  centuries  before  the 
1 8th  was  an  instrument,  not  for  the  diffusion  of  knowl- 
edge, but  for  its  conservation,  —  as  a  storehouse  of  books 
to  preserve  them  from  destruction  and  to  make  them 
available  to  scholars.  This  institution  has  such  antiq- 
uity that  its  origins  defy  research.  The  inscribed 
bricks  found  in  rows  and  tiers  of  shelves,  buried  under 
the  sands  of  the  Assyrian  desert,  declare  themselves 
part  of  an  extensive  royal  or  public  library.  Many  of 
them  are  confessedly  copies  or  compilations  from  simi- 
lar books  existing  in  like  collections  centuries  before. 


io  Public  Libraries  in  America 

Apparently  the  history  of  public  libraries  in  this  sense 
is  co-extensive  with  that  of  the  art  of  writing;  for 
wherever  books  in  any  form  were  known,  collections 
of  them  would  naturally  become  a  part  of  the  para- 
phernalia of  a  court  and  palace.  Also  at  centres  of 
education  libraries  naturally  grew  up,  well  represented 
by  the  famous  one  at  Alexandria,  doubtless  largely 
mythical,  whose  destruction  has  been  supposed  to 
make  so  wide  a  gap  between  the  learning  of  the 
ancient  and  the  modern  world. 

During  the  dark  ages  of  Europe  the  flame  of 
learning  was  kept  alive  in  the  monasteries  and  the 
universities,  where  libraries  of  some  thousands  of 
volumes  were  slowly  and  painfully  gathered  by  the 
patient  toil  of  the  copyist,  though  little  used.  The 
service  rendered  by  these  libraries  in  thus  preserving 
and  handing  down  to  later  and  happier  eras  the  gems 
of  classic  thought  and  learning,  who  can  measure? 

But  when  did  the  public  library  movement  begin? 
Not  even  the  Reformation,  with  its  tremendous  asser- 
tion of  the  right  of  man  to  spiritual  freedom,  brought 
about  the  change  so  designated.  Apparently  it  waited 
for  that  child  of  the  Reformation,  whose  ominous 
name  is  Revolution,  to  turn  the  key  which  should  open 
libraries  to  the  people.  For  surely  the  spirit  of  the  Rev- 
olution, in  its  sanest  manifestation,  moved  BENJAMIN 
FRANKLIN  and  other  men  of  his  kind  in  their  thinking 
and  acting  on  political  and  social  subjects ;  and  prob- 
ably with  FRANKLIN,  more  than  any  other,  originated 
the  impetus  to  this  movement.  In  his  philosophic 
brain  was  conceived  the  thought  of  a  public  library 
for  the  diffusion  of  knowledge,  to  the  end  that  men 
at  large  might  be  capable  of  self-direction,  and  better 
fitted  for  civil  and  political  independence.  FRANKLIN 


LIBRARY   OF  THE   UNIVERSITY   OF   LEYDEN    IN    1600 

FROM   A  CONTEMPORARY   ENGRAVING 

[Points  of  special  interest  are  the  arrangement  and  classification  of  the  library,  and  the 

clear  indication  given  as  to  the  way  libraries  were  formerly  chained, 

the  books  standing  with  their  front  edges  outJ\ 


The  Public- Library  Movement  11 

was  not  more  sagacious  to  plan  than  practical  and 
sensible  to  organize  and  execute  ;  and  in  1732  was  es- 
tablished the  Philadelphia  Library  Company,  '  mother 
of  all  the  subscription  libraries,'  in  North  America, 
as  he  himself  called  it. 

It  is  quite  common  to  look  upon  the  later  move- 
ment by  which  libraries  came  to  be  supported  by 
public  funds  derived  from  taxation  as  marking  the 
beginning  of  the  public  library.  In  one  sense  this 
view  is  correct ;  but  when  it  is  noted  how  naturally  and 
inevitably  the  public  library  of  FRANKLIN'S  institution 
has  grown  into  the  more  recent  form,  it  is  easy  to  per- 
ceive that  in  the  establishment  of  these  subscription 
libraries,  the  public- library  movement  really  began. 
From  the  first  these  institutions  were  for  the  benefit, 
not  of  the  few,  but  of  the  many.  In  most  cases  the 
fees  were  so  small  that  they  were  supposed  not  to 
deter  any  from  joining  the  associations.  While  the 
later  experience  of  towns  and  cities  has  shown  that 
any  fee,  no  matter  how  small,  marks  the  difference 
between  a  meagre  constituency  for  a  library  and  its 
general  use  by  the  public,  this  was  not  understood  by 
the  library  associations,  which  generally  accepted  the 
idea  that  any  one  who  could  derive  benefit  from  the 
library  could  raise  or  save  the  pittance  required  to 
purchase  its  full  use.  The  very  general  application 
to  such  associations  of  names  like  'Young  Men's 
Institute  '  implied  that  their  members  were  not  those 
of  comparative  leisure  and  ease  of  circumstances,  but 
rather  those  who,  unable  to  own  books  to  any  extent, 
must  associate  themselves  together  in  order  to  obtain 
their  use. 

There  is  perhaps  no  better  indication  of  the  reality 
of  the  public  character  of  these  association  libraries, 


12  Public  Libraries  in  America 

than  the  fact  that  in  most  States  where  such  libraries 
became  at  all  numerous,  laws  were  passed  exempting 
them  from  taxation. 

The  address  to  the  public,  printed  in  The  Con- 
necticut Courant,  ist  March  1774,  in  behalf  of  a 
proposed  society  library  (out  of  which  has  grown  the 
splendid  public  library,  now  the  boast  of  Hartford) 
began  as  follows  :  '  The  utility  of  Public  Libraries  con- 
sisting of  well  chosen  Books  under  proper  Regulations, 
and  their  smiling  Aspect  on  the  interests  of  Society, 
Virtue,  and  Religion  are  too  manifest  to  be  denied.' 
Thus  the  '  missionary '  aspect  of  the  public-library 
movement  is  not  simply  a  feature  of  the  more  recent 
free  library  system,  as  is  often  supposed,  but  was  inher- 
ent in  the  public-library  idea  of  which  FRANKLIN 
appears  to  have  been  the  first  exponent.  This  view 
is  strengthened  by  the  fact  that  persons  not  members 
of  the  subscription  libraries  were  in  many  cases  ad- 
mitted to  the  use  of  their  books  within  the  building. 
The  records  of  the  Philadelphia  Library  Company 
state  that  the  librarian  was  allowed  to  '  permit  any 
civil  gentleman  to  peruse  the  books  of  the  library  in 
the  library  room,  but  not  to  lend  or  suffer  to  be 
taken  out  of  the  library  by  any  person  who  is  not  a 
subscribing  member,  any  of  the  said  books.' 

In  like  manner,  though  in  curiously  stilted  language, 
the  design  of  the  Redwood  Library  in  Newport,  Rhode 
Island,  founded  in  1747,  was  stated  to  be  'a  Library 
whereunto  the  curious  and  impatient  Enquirer  after 
Resolution  of  Doubts,  and  the  bewildered  Ignorant, 
might  freely  repair  for  Discovery  and  Demonstration 
to  the  one,  and  true  Knowledge  and  Satisfaction  to  the 
other ;  nay,  to  inform  the  mind  in  both,  in  order  to 
reform  the  Practice.' 


The  Public-Library  Movement  13 

That  this  humanitarian  and  public-spirited  view  of 
the  public  library  as  a  means  of  enlightenment  and 
elevation  to  the  community  was  common  to  the  pro- 
moters of  subscription  libraries  is  evident  in  all  their 
public  utterances  concerning  the  movement.  And  to 
an  increase  in  this  same  sense  of  the  utility  and  value 
to  the  public  at  large  of  access  to  good  collections  of 
books,  we  naturally  trace  the  farther  forward  move- 
ment inaugurated  precisely  at  the  middle  of  the 
nineteenth  century,  when  cities  and  towns  began 
the  establishment  and  maintenance  of  libraries  at 
the  public  expense. 

Beyond  the  gradual  preparation  for  this  step,  to 
which  allusion  has  been  made,  there  were  special 
causes  at  work  to  promote  it  just  at  this  time.  Much 
attention  was  paid  on  the  part  of  the  large  number 
already  interested  in  public  libraries,  both  in  this 
country  and  in  England,  to  the  Report  of  the  Parlia- 
mentary Commission  on  the  British  Museum,  where  Sir 
ANTHONY  PANIZZI  had  been  librarian  for  a  few  years, 
and  by  his  liberal  and  progressive  management  had 
so  revolutionized  this  fossil  institution  that  an  investi- 
gation was  called  for  to  see  what  this  upstart  Italian 
was  doing.  PANIZZI'S  testimony  before  the  Commission 
was  a  triumphant  vindication  of  his  view  of  the  library, 
—  that  it  was  for  use,  and  not  simply  for  preservation, 
and  that  the  good  of  the  nation  demanded  that  the  li- 
brary be  made  thoroughly  accessible,  and  administered 
with  a  view  to  general  utility  and  the  diffusion  of  its 
stores  of  learning.  The  Report  of  the  Commission 
was  widely  distributed  and  read,  and  became  a  chief 
factor  in  the  new  library  movement. 

Other   influences   operated  in  the  same  direction, 


14  Public  Libraries  in  America 

especially  in  America.  The  lyceum  lecture  sys- 
tem, which  took  such  hold  on  the  people  of  all 
our  towns  in  the  last  two  decades  of  the  first  half  of 
the  century,  led  directly  to  the  formation,  in  multi- 
tudes of  places,  of  library  associations  on  a  popular 
basis,  with  fees  so  small  as  to  seem  to  exclude 
none.  At  the  same  time  these  lectures  had  dif- 
fused widely  among  the  people  a  thirst  for  culture, 
and  among  the  cultivated  classes  themselves  a  desire 
to  see  the  means  of  culture  placed  at  the  command  of 
all  alike.  Not  much  was  said  in  those  days  about 
socialism,  but  it  was  really  a  long  step  in  the  direction 
of  true  socialism  when  the  public  library  was  added 
to  the  public  school  as  a  State  function.  It  was  a 
recognition  of  the  claims  of  the  masses  for  all  that 
the  body  politic  can  do  to  enlighten  and  elevate  them, 
—  a  recognition,  in  fact,  of  that  solidarity  in  the 
body  politic  by  virtue  of  which,  if  one  member  suffer, 
all  the  members  suffer  with  it. 

This  aspect  of  the  case  has  not  failed  to  attract  the 
attention  of  those  social  philosophers  who  find  in  this 
sort  of  co-operation  their  bete  noir.  In  that  strange 
book  called  A  Plea  for  Liberty,  published  a  few 
months  since  with  an  approving  preface  by  HERBERT 
SPENCER,  occurs  a  violent  attack  upon  the  public- 
library  movement  as  a  scheme  for  robbing  one  man 
to  pay  for  books  for  another  man  to  read.  But  until 
the  individualistic  philosophy  gains  more  acceptance 
than  it  has  yet  found,  communities  will  take  the  risk 
of  any  harm  from  co-operative  efforts  through  govern- 
mental forms  to  provide  postal  facilities,  parks,  water 
supplies,  police  protection,  and  certainly  the  means  of 
education,  including  public  libraries. 


The  Public- Library  Movement  15 

The  first  step  in  the  movement  for  establishing 
public  libraries  in  this  sense  seems  to  have  been  taken 
by  the  Hon.  JOSIAH  QUTNCY,  Junr,  mayor  of  Boston, 
in  October,  1847.  He  proposed  to  the  city  council, 
and  they  passed,  a  request  to  the  Legislature  that 
Boston  be  allowed  to  lay  a  tax  to  establish  a  free 
library.  The  Legislature  assented  the  same  winter, 
and  this  was  probably  the  beginning  of  such  legislation 
in  any  part  of  the  world.  In  1851,  other  cities  and 
towns  claiming  the  same  permission,  the  law  was  made 
general.  The  interest  in  libraries  excited  throughout 
England  by  the  parliamentary  investigation  already 
referred  to  was  perhaps  the  immediate  cause  of  sim- 
ilar legislation  in  that  country ;  but  the  leaders  of  the 
movement  there  confessed  that  the  idea  came  to  them 
from  America. 

Whatever  were  the  forces  preparing  for  this  move- 
ment, they  wrought  effectively,  and  the  people  were 
ready  for  the  new  idea.  In  thirty  years  after  this  first 
legislation  in  Massachusetts  nearly  every  Northern 
State  had  taken  similar  action,  those  which  were  so- 
cially descended  from  New  England  being  in  the 
lead,  more  especially  in  the  extent  to  which  the 
legislation  has  been  followed  by  the  actual  establish- 
ment of  public  libraries.  In  Massachusetts  over  two 
hundred  towns  have  public  libraries,  and  they  contain 
an  aggregate  of  two  million  volumes,  —  nearly  as  many 
as  are  in  the  public  libraries  of  all  the  other  States. 
And  several  of  the  new  States  of  the  West  have  nearly 
kept  step  with  Massachusetts,  public  libraries  being 
numerous  in  Michigan,  Indiana,  and  Illinois,  and  fast 
springing  up  in  Minnesota,  Kansas,  and  Colorado.  In 
the  twenty  States  which  have  passed  library  laws  nearly 


1 6  Public  Libraries  in  America 

seven  hundred  libraries  have  been  established,  con- 
taining at  present  not  far  from  four  million  volumes. 
By  a  singular  contrast,  Connecticut  has  only  sixteen 
public  libraries,1  and  of  these  only  two  are  supported 
by  taxation,  while  the  State  of  New  York  is  even  more 
backward,  having  until  very  recently  no  library  law, 
and  of  course  no  public  libraries  in  the  modern  sense 
of  the  term. 

But  under  the  present  policy  of  the  Regents  of  the 
University  of  New  York,  and  with  liberal  legislation 
back  of  them,  public  libraries  are  made  a  part  of  the 
State  educational  system,  and  their  establishment  is 
so  fostered  and  encouraged  that  most  of  the  towns  in 
the  State  are  likely  to  provide  themselves  with  libra- 
ries before  many  more  years  have  passed. 

The  genius  and  significance  of  this  modern  move- 
ment are  well  illustrated  in  the  establishment  of  the 
Boston  Public  Library,  the  wonderful  growth  and  suc- 
cess of  which  constituted  it,  from  the  first,  an  object- 
lesson  which  many  communities  were  happy  to  study. 
The  character  of  Boston's  library  was  strongly  deter- 
mined by  the  rare  mental  and  moral  qualities  of  the 
late  Mr  GEORGE  TICKNOR.  The  new  movement  had 
many  friends  and  promoters;  but  Mr  TICKNOR  con- 
ceived, and  through  the  force  of  his  enthusiastic 
support  carried  out,  most  of  what  was  new  and  dis- 

1  It  should  be  noted  here  that  within  the  present  year  the 
city  of  Hartford  has  commenced  making  appropriations  to 
cover  the  current  expenses  of  the  Hartford  Library,  now  for 
the  first  time  free  to  all  the  citizens.  But  this  action  has  been 
taken  only  after  libraries  numbering  nearly  100,000  volumes 
had  been  accumulated  by  private  and  associated  effort,  and  a 
ftmd  of  $400,000  raised  by  subscription  for  the  future  mainte- 
nance and  increase  of  the  collections. 


Tlie  Public-Library  Movement  17 

tinctive  in  its  plan,  and  especially  that  which  made  it 
typical  of  the  new  school  of  libraries  and  rendered  its 
influence  so  effective.  In  a  letter  to  EDWARD  EVERETT, 
in  1851,  he  gave  his  ideal  of  the  new  institution  as 
follows :  '  I  would  establish  a  library  which  differs 
from  all  free  libraries  yet  attempted ;  I  mean  one 
in  which  any  popular  books,  tending  to  moral  and 
intellectual  improvement,  shall  be  furnished  in  such 
numbers  of  copies  that  many  persons  can  be  reading 
the  same  book  at  the  same  time  ;  in  short,  that  not 
only  the  best  books  of  all  sorts,  but  the  pleasant  lit- 
erature of  the  day,  shall  be  made  accessible  to  the 
whole  people  when  they  most  care  for  it ;  that  is, 
when  it  is  fresh  and  new.  I  would  .  .  .  thus,  by  fol- 
lowing the  popular  taste  —  unless  it  should  demand 
something  injurious  —  create  a  real  appetite  for 
healthy  reading.  This  appetite,  once  formed,  will  take 
care  of  itself.  It  will,  in  a  great  majority  of  cases, 
demand  better  and  better  books.' 

Mr  EVERETT,  and  other  equally  intelligent  and 
public-spirited  men,  doubted  the  wisdom  of  a  library 
founded  on  such  a  principle ;  but  essentially  it  is 
that  on  which  the  free-library  system  of  our  times  is 
based.  And  this  system,  so  far  as  its  distinctive  fea- 
tures are  concerned,  was  bom  in  the  triumph  of 
MrTicKNOR's views  over  the  sceptical  and  conservative 
opinions  of  his  associates.  One  finds  here  the  library 
'  of  the  people,  by  the  people,  and  for  the  people,'  ^- 
an  institution  which  any  community,  once  tasting  its 
advantages,  is  ready  to  support  by  taxation,  paying 
the  necessary  expenses  of  its  support,  increase,  and 
housing,  as  cheerfully  as  it  does  those  of  the  public 
schools. 

At  the  same  time,  the  growth  of  our  public  libraries 

2 


1 8  Public  Libraries  in  America 

has  been  greatly  fostered  by  private  beneficence.  No 
other  public  object  seems  to  attract  the  gifts  and 
bequests  of  the  wealthy  as  does  this.  The  Boston 
library  received  munificent  gifts  from  TICKNOR,  BATES, 
DOWSE,  and  others,  to  aid  in  the  erection  of  its 
now  outgrown  building,  and  in  the  purchase  of  books. 
And  the  amount  available  from  taxation,  has  in 
nearly  all  our  towns  and  cities  been  augmented  by 
similar  gifts,  which  have  often  been  sufficient  to 
cover  the  entire  cost  of  the  undertaking,  making  the 
library  a  free  gift  to  the  people.  Most  commonlys 
however,  these  gifts  of  individuals  have  been  appro- 
priated to  the  erection  of  buildings,  leaving  the  books 
to  be  provided  and  cared  for  at  public  expense. 
There  has  been  ready  perception  of  the  truth  that  one's 
memory  cannot  better  be  perpetuated  than  by  associ- 
ation with  an  institution  so  popular  and  at  the  same 
time  so  elevating  and  refining  as  the  public  library. 
Memorial  libraries  are  therefore  very  abundant,  and  as 
expense  often  has  not  been  spared  in  the  erection  of 
such  memorials,  many  of  our  towns,  even  the  smaller 
ones,  are  ornamented  by  library  buildings  which  are 
gems  of  architecture.  Doubtless  the  principle  of  mak- 
ing the  exterior  of  a  library  expressive  of  aesthetic 
ideas  has  in  some  cases  been  overdone,  so  that  the 
convenience  of  the  library  for  use  and  study  has  been 
sacrificed  to  purely  artistic  effect. 

But  the  fact  remains,  with  all  its  significance,  that 
about  the  public  library  cluster  naturally  the  affections 
and  the  interest  of  the  community.  In  its  endowment, 
on  the  one  hand  by  private  beneficence,  and  on  the 
other  by  public  taxation,  is  illustrated  that  collabo- 
ration of  the  rich  and  the  poor  in  the  pursuit  of 
the  highest  ends  which  has  in  it  the  promise,  and 


The  Public-Library  Movement  19 

perhaps  the  potency,  of  the  solution  of  vexing  social 
questions. 


EDWARDS:  Memoirs  of  Libraries  (London,  1859),  2  vols. 

EDWARDS:  Free  Town  Libraries  (London,  1869). 

POOLE  :   Presidential  Address  before  American  Library  Association, 

1887,  in  Library  Journal,  xii.  311. 
U.   S.    BUREAU    OF   EDUCATION  ;  Special  Report  OH  Libraries, 

1876. 
Also  various  encyclopaedias,  article  Libraries. 


CHAPTER  II 

LIBRARY  LAWS:  HOW  LIBRARIES  HAVE  BEEN 
ESTABLISHED 

All  free  governments  .  .  .  are  in 
reality  governments  by  public  opinion. 
...  It  is,  therefore,  their  first  duty 
to  purify  the  element  from  which  they 
draw  the  breath  of  life. 

LOWELL:  Democracy. 

A  S  every  institution  of  organized  society  is  depend- 
•*•*•  ent  for  its  existence  and  development  on  legis- 
lation, defining  its  functions  and  affording  protection  in 
their  exercise,  so  the  progress  of  the  public- library 
movement  is  paralleled  by  a  series  of  legislative  acts 
exhibiting  an  evolutionary  progress.  Five  distinct 
stages  in  this  legislation  may  be  noted,  four  of  which 
have  already  been  attained  in  some  States,  while  the 
fifth  and  culminating  one  is  yet  in  the  future,  but 
more  or  less  plainly  foreshadowed. 

The  first  stage  appears  in  the  acts  of  incorporation 
of  society  libraries,  beginning  with  that  of  the  Phila- 
delphia Library  Company,  referred  to  in  the  previous 
chapter,  which  was  incorporated  in  1742,  ten  years 
after  its  first  organization. 

As  has  been  remarked,  these  libraries  were  from 
the  first  recognized  as  public  benefits,  and  their  estab- 
lishment was  encouraged  by  exemption  from  taxation. 
Laws  to  this  effect  now  exist  in  at  least  twenty-three 
States  of  the  Union.  This  legislation  clearly  distin- 


Library  Laws  21 

guishes  between  clubs  and  similar  organizations  for 
the  mutual  benefit  of  their  members,  and  library  asso- 
ciations, —  the  library,  even  in  the  hands  of  a  society, 
being  regarded  as  a  public  good. 

The  next  form  of  legislation  connected  with  library 
progress  is  found  in  the  laws  passed  in  twenty-one  States, 
beginning  with  New  York,  in  1835,  for  the  establish- 
ment of  district  school  libraries.  For  a  time  great 
hopes  were  entertained  that  these  libraries  were  to 
solve  the  problem  of  supplying  the  people  at  large 
with  wholesome  and  profitable  reading.  Theoretically 
the  scheme  was  most  promising,  and  in  some  of  the 
States,  notably  in  Michigan  after  New  York,  it  had  a 
large  measure  of  success.  But  although  New  York 
expended  over  $50,000  annually  in  this  direction  for 
fifty-five  years,  the  system  has  there,  as  elsewhere, 
proved  on  the  whole  a  failure.  But  it  had  its  place 
as  an  effective  educator  of  public  sentiment  in  the  right 
direction,  and  perhaps  by  its  very  failure  to  meet  the 
growing  demand  for  free  libraries  in  a  satisfactory  way, 
led  to  increased  efforts  to  devise  an  effective  scheme 
for  that  purpose. 

The  school  district  proving  too  small  a  unit  for  effi- 
cient library  work,  the  next  experiment  took  the  town 
as  the  unit,  and  township  libraries  began  to  be  organized. 
This  led  to  what  may  be  regarded  as  the  third  stage 
in  the  progress  of  library  legislation ;  namely,  the  pas- 
sage of  laws  enabling  towns  to  establish  and  maintain 
libraries  by  taxation.  In  1849  the  first  law  of  this 
character  known  to  history  was  passed  in  New  Hamp- 
shire. Massachusetts  followed  in  1851,  Maine  in 
1854,  Vermont  in  1865,  Ohio  m  1867,  and  then  after 
1870  the  movement  became  quite  general,  and  many 
States  adopted  it,  particularly  those  in  the  interior  and 
the  West. 


22  Public  Libraries  in  America 

In  giving  New  Hampshire  the  credit  of  passing  the 
first  legislative  act  of  this  kind,  the  fact  should  not  be 
lost  sight  of  that  Massachusetts  had,  in  1848,  one 
year  earlier,  passed  a  similar  act,  referring  simply 
to  Boston,  at  the  request  of  her  mayor  and  lead- 
ing citizens.  Very  likely  the  New  Hampshire  law 
was  suggested  by  this  act,  the  new  feature  being  the 
extension  of  its  provisions  to  all  the  towns  in  the 
State. 

It  may  be  noted  in  passing  that  the  birth  of  the 
public-library  system  in  England  was  quite  strictly 
contemporaneous  with  that  in  this  country.  A  per- 
missive act  was  passed  by  Parliament  in  1850,  follow- 
ing an  inquiry  made  by  a  select  committee  into  the 
best  means  of  establishing  free  libraries.  The  Eng- 
lish law,  like  those  of  most  of  our  States,  limited  the 
amount  of  tax  levy  for  this  purpose.  Just  why  the 
taxpayers  of  any  town  may  not  be  left  to  decide  to 
what  extent  they  will  assess  themselves  for  this  purpose 
is  hard  to  understand.  But  this  restrictive  provision 
remains  in  most  of  the  laws,1  although  Massachusetts 
and  some  other  States  have  dropped  it,  while  the 
New  Hampshire  law  was  always  free  from  it.  The 
library  interests  of  some  States  have  been  crippled, 
not  to  say  strangled  at  birth,  by  the  pettiness  of  the 
provision  which  could  legally  be  made  for  their  sup- 
port. In  Maine,  for  example,  there  are  no  public 
libraries  to  speak  of,  the  law  allowing  only  one  dollar 

i  Following  is  the  limit  fixed  by  law  in  a  few  representa- 
tive States  :  New  Jersey,  one  third  mill  on  the  dollar;  Indiana, 
three-fourths  mill ;  Connecticut,  two  mills ;  Illinois,  towns  two 
mills,  cities  of  less  than  10,000  population  one  mill,  larger 
cities  one-fifth  mill.  If  such  restriction  is  thought  desirable, 
the  sliding  scale  of  the  Illinois  law  seems  a  sensible  arrange- 
ment. 


Library  Laws  23 

for  each  taxable  poll  to  be  assessed  for  the  establish- 
ment of  a  library,  and  only  twenty-five  cents  annually 
thereafter  for  its  maintenance.  Maine  and  New 
Hampshire,  lying  side  by  side,  present  the  same  con- 
trast in  respect  to  libraries  that  is  exhibited  by  Massa- 
chusetts and  Connecticut,  the  latter  State  having  no 
effective  library  law  until  1881,  and  its  towns,  even  to 
the  present  time,  showing  little  disposition  to  accept 
its  provisions ;  while  in  Massachusetts  more  than  half 
the  towns  had  organized  libraries  under  the  liberal 
State  law  before  1880,  a  proportion  now  swelled  to 
six-sevenths. 

The  laws  passed  in  Western  States  are  mostly  pat- 
terned after  that  of  Illinois,  adopted  in  1872,  not  only 
permitting  towns  and  cities  to  establish  and  maintain 
libraries  by  taxation,  but  making  careful  provision  for 
their  proper  management.  It  provides  for  a  board  of 
nine  directors,  a  body  independent  of  the  mayor  and 
council,  as  well  as  of  the  board  of  education,  and  gives 
them  full  control  of  all  library  affairs,  thereby  avoiding 
the  difficulties  that  often  arise  when  the  appointment 
of  officials  and  the  fixing  of  salaries  are  mixed  up  with 
local  party  politics. 

Such  provision  for  the  management  of  a  library  is 
superior  to  a  State  law  which  confides  its  care  to  a 
committee  of  three  annually  appointed  by  the  mayor, 
as  well  as  to  one  which  leaves  the  method  of  govern- 
ment and  control  to  be  determined  by  the  separate 
cities  and  towns.  Experience  has  shown  that  care  is 
necessary  to  avoid  the  opposite  dangers,  on  the  one 
hand  of  a  library  administration  left  at  the  mercy  of 
shifting  politics,  and  on  the  other  of  one  run  as  a 
close  corporation  tending  naturally  to  become  a  one- 
man  power.  The  wisdom  of  the  Illinois  law  in  this 


24  Public  Libraries  in  America 

regard  is  probably  the  reason  why  it  has  been  so 
widely  copied  in  other  States. 

The  policy,  prevailing  in  some  cities,  of  deriving 
the  support  of  libraries  from  fines  collected  in  the 
courts  and  from  licenses  of  various  kinds,  is  hardly  a 
wise  one.  To  have  the  prosperity  of  the  library  in 
direct  ratio  with  the  wickedness  of  the  people  tends 
to  degrade  it  in  the  eyes  of  the  public,  nor  can  an 
income  thus  derived  be  sufficiently  regular  and  reliable 
for  satisfactory  work.  A  direct  tax  levy  is  more  dig- 
nified, and  puts  the  library  where  it  belongs,  on  a  par 
with  other  educational  institutions  of  the  State. 

Legislation  of  this  permissive  type,  conferring  on 
towns  and  cities  the  right  to  tax  themselves  for  the 
support  of  libraries,  and  regulating  library  manage- 
ment, is  undoubtedly  the  best  yet  attainable  in  most 
States,  nor  can  anything  farther  well  be  attempted 
until  some  years'  experience  of  the  benefits  of  libraries 
has  prepared  a  community  to  take  higher  ground. 

This  higher  ground  appears  in  the  fourth  of  the 
successive  stages  in  library  legislation,  namely,  in  the 
laws  lately  passed  in  a  few  States,  looking  to  active 
encouragement  and  assistance  from  the  State  to  the 
towns  in  the  establishment  of  libraries.  The  first  law 
of  this  kind  was  passed  by  the  Legislature  of  Massa- 
chusetts in  1890,  creating  a  commission  of  five  persons, 
appointed  by  the  governor,  to  foster  the  establishment 
and  growth 'of  public  libraries  throughout  the  State. 
The  commission  is  to  furnish  to  librarians  and  trustees 
of  libraries  such  advice  and  general  assistance  as  may 
be  required,  and  is  empowered  to  make  a  gift  of 
books  to  the  extent  of  $100  to  any  town  accepting  the 
provisions  of  the  law.  Thus  the  town  elects  a  suitable 
board  of  trustees,  and  appropriates  a  sum  ranging  from 


Library  Laws  25 

$15  upwards,  according  to  the  valuation,  and  must 
otherwise  conform  to  the  requirements  of  the  State 
library  law. 

The  first  annual  report  of  the  commission  contained 
a  history  of  all  the  city  and  town  libraries  in  the 
State,  giving  also  illustrations  of  the  library  buildings. 
Towns  having  no  libraries  were  cited  in  their  alpha- 
betical places  alongside  the  others,  with  the  simple 
statement,  '  This  town  has  no  public  library.'  Great 
interest  was  excited  throughout  the  State,  and  this 
unenviable  prominence  led  many  to  eager  acceptance 
of  the  liberal  provisions  of  the  new  law.  During  1891, 
libraries  were  established  in  36  additional  towns;  and 
at  the  end  of  1892,  only  53  of  the  352  towns  in 
the  State  had  no  free  library.  In  some  of  these  there 
are  associations,  and  the  prospect  seems  good  that 
nearly  every  town  will  soon  enjoy  the  benefits  of  a  free 
library.  The  expense  of  this  organization  to  the  State 
is  but  trifling,  as  the  commissioners  serve  without  pay, 
and  have  an  allowance  of  only  $500  annually  for 
expenses.  The  towns  accepting  the  provisions  of  the 
law  in  1891  required,  at  $100  each,  an  outlay  of 
$3,600  on  the  part  of  the  State,  in  grants  of  books, 
the  whole  expense  for  the  year  1891  being  less  than 
$5,000. 

A  similar  law  was  enacted  by  New  Hampshire  in 
1891,  with  like  success.  And  New  York,  having 
in  1889  provided  for  State  aid  to  libraries  already 
open  to  the  public  with  a  large  annual  circulation  of 
books,  passed  in  1891  a  very  comprehensive  statute, 
placing  the  free  library  system  of  the  State  under 
the  direction  of  the  Regents  of  the  University,  and 
providing  for  assistance  to  towns  in  various  ways. 
'Travelling  libraries'  of  a  small  number  of  selected 


26  Public  Libraries  in  America 

books,  either  general  in  character  or  relating  to  special 
branches  of  knowledge,  are  loaned  by  the  State  Li- 
brary to  towns  wishing  them.  The  State  Library  is 
made  library  headquarters  for  the  State,  and  the  towns 
are  encouraged  to  substitute  the  new  town  system  for 
the  old  district  school  library  system,  and  to  receive  the 
aid  of  the  State.  Having  for  the  first  year  an  appro- 
priation of  $25,000  for  the  furtherance  of  library 
interests,  the  Regents  of  the  University  have  been  able 
to  make  rapid  progress,  and  have  organized  by  far  the 
most  elaborate  and  thorough-going  State  system  of 
libraries  in  existence.  Much,  however,  remains  to  be 
done  in  New  York,  as  until  now  the  State  has  been 
very  backward  in  respect  to  town  and  city  libraries, 
largely  .owing,  no  doubt,  to  the  existence  of  the  dis- 
trict school  libraries.,  which  stood  in  the  way  of  town 
organizations  for  similar  purposes. 

Thus  a  .few  Eastern  States  have  inaugurated  a  move- 
ment which  seems  likely  to  spread  throughout  the 
•entire  country.  As  the  benefits  of  public  libraries 
become  more  widely  known  and  appreciated,  the 
demand  for  State  aid  is  keenly  felt  and  effectively 
urged  by  the  feebler  and  poorer  towns. 

But  immediately  in  the  wake  of  this  movement  for 
State  encouragement  to  public  libraries,  there  seems 
to  be  coming  the  final  step  in  the  evolution  of  library 
laws  already  indicated  as  the  '  fifth  stage,'  not  yet 
reached  although  plainly  foreshadowed. 

Reviewing  in  a  paper  read  before  the  American 
Library  Association  at  San  Francisco,  in  1891,  the  pro- 
gress of  library  legislation  up  to  that  time,  the  present 
writer  was  led  to  say,  — 

'  Nor  can  it  well  be  doubted  that  this  evolution  of 
library  legislation  will  ultimately  bring  forth  the  ideal 


Library  Laws  27 

"library  law,  —  that  is  to  say,  the  one  that  shall  make  it 
obligatory  on  towns  to  have  and  to  properly  maintain 
libraries,  just  as  it  is  now  required  that  schools  be 
provided.' 

These  words  were  written  without  a  thought  that 
only  about  a  year  would  elapse  before  definite  steps 
would  be  taken  in  one  State  to  secure  compelling 
legislation  of  this  character.  But  so  it  proved  ;  in 
this  regard  New  Hampshire  is  again  a  leader,  a  bill 
having  been  before  her  Legislature  during  the  winter 
of  1892-93,  carefully  drawn  by  a  member  of  the  State 
library  commission  and  looking  precisely  to  this  end. 
It  requires  that  '  each  town  shall  assess  annually  .  .  . 
a  sum  to  be  computed  at  the  rate  of  thirty  dollars  for 
every  dollar  of  the  public  [State]  taxes  apportioned 
to  such  town  .  .  .  to  be  appropriated  to  the  sole  pur- 
pose of  establishing  and  maintaining  a  free  public 
library  within  such  town.'  It  farther  provides  that 
when  in  any  town  the  amount  thus  required  to  be 
raised  is  less  than  $100,  'books  to  the  value  denoted 
by  the  difference  between  the  amount  required  to  be 
raised  and  $100  shall  be  furnished  by  the  State.' 

The  principal  argument  brought  forward  by  the 
promoter  of  this  law 2  is  that  it  is  not  enough  for  the 
State  to  secure  the  inauguration  of  libraries  in  the  dif- 
ferent towns,  but  that  suitable  action  is  also  necessary 
which  shall  insure  to  the  libraries,  when  once  started, 
such  regular  support  from  year  to  year  as  is  provided 
for  the  schools  by  the  educational  statutes.  At  present, 
opposition  to  such  laws  is  certain,  the  outcry  against 
paternalism  leading  many  to  wish  to  decrease  rather 
than  to  extend  the  share  of  the  State  in  the  direction 
of  town  affairs. 

z  Sfnte  Aid  to  Libraries  ...  By  JosiAH  H.  WHITTIER 
'Rochester,  New  Hampshire,  1893). 


28  Public  Libraries  in  America 

But  so  great  are  the  advantages  of  libraries,  and 
so  marked  the  economy  of  extension  of  State  aid 
in  various  matters,  that  this  general  supervision  and 
assistance  seems  assured,  bringing  with  it  a  measure 
of  insistence  upon  the  individual  community. 

But  whatever  legislation  may  anywhere  be  proposed, 
it  appears  certain  that  no  State  will  adopt  and  carry 
out  generous  legal  provision  for  its  public  libraries 
until  their  benefits  have  in  a  measure  been  experienced. 
So  that  in  most  of  our  States,  if  not  all,  libraries  have 
preceded  library  legislation,  the  latter  coming  in  sub- 
sequently to  foster  a  movement  already  well  begun. 
Few  libraries  owe  their  existence  to  municipal  adop- 
tion of  the  State  library  law,  and  the  appropriation  of 
money  under  that  law.  Most  of  them  have  grown  up 
from  very  small  beginnings  ;  an  association  is  started 
with  a  small  admission  fee,  the  proceeds  of  which 
buy  a  few  books  to  serve  as  a  nucleus,  and  still  smaller 
annual  fees  to  cover  additions  and  running  expenses. 

In  the  beginning  of  its  life  a  library  will,  perhaps, 
be  very  humble  and  unpretentious  :  some  one  inter- 
ested in  the  project  gives  the  use  of  a  room  ;  another, 
with  little  or  no  compensation,  acts  as  librarian  for  the 
six  or  eight  hours  weekly  when  the  library  is  open. 
Books  will  be  given.  A  book  fair  to  which  the  ticket 
of  admission  is  a  book  for  the  library,  or  some  similar 
and  occasional  effort,  maintains  the  supply  of  books, 
and  the  library  grows.  In  a  few  years  it  has  become 
a  power  in  the  community,  demanding  better  quar- 
ters and  better  service  ;  and  it  has  so  gained  the  inter- 
est of  the  people  that  its  demands  are  heard.  Then 
is  a  favorable  time  to  bring  it  before  the  town  for 
adoption.  The  association,  having  collected  an  at- 
tractive lot  of  good  books,  offers  to  present  them  to 


Library  Laws  29 

the  town,  provided  it  will  assume  control  and  future 
expenses.  Seldom  has  such  a  proposition  been  re- 
jected by  an  intelligent  community.  The  library  has 
already  quietly  won  its  way  to  the  hearts  of  the  people, 
more  especially  of  the  common  people,  who  will  be 
found  ready  to  undertake  its  support  on  condition  of 
its  becoming  public  property.  As  the  library  grows 
and  becomes  increasingly  useful,  it  will  be  more 
highly  appreciated,  and  generous  appropriations  will 
be  readily  forthcoming.  It  attracts  attention  as  a  large 
factor  in  the  well-being  of  the  town,  and  draws  to  it- 
self memorial  gifts  from  the  wealthy,  in  the  form  of 
buildings  and  endowments,  until  often  the  burden  of 
support  is  in  great  part  lifted  from  the  community. 

Such  has  been  the  history  of  numerous  American 
libraries.  The  way,  then,  to  start  a  library  is  to  start 
it,  not  to  make  great  plans  and  invoke  State  aid  at 
the  outset ;  but  in  a  simple  way  to  make  a  beginning 
from  which  the  library  may  grow.  Yale  College,  it  is 
told,  was  founded  by  a  meeting  at  Lyme  of  a  few 
Connecticut  ministers,  each  of  whom  brought  books  for 
the  library  from  his  own  meagre  store.  When  these  few 
old  volumes  were  laid  together,  the  library  of  Yale  Col- 
lege began  to  exist,  and  only  by  slow  and  gradual  accre- 
tions has  it  become  one  of  the  largest  and  best  in  New 
England.  Not  all  our  public  libraries  have  thus  grown 
by  long  process  from  small  beginnings.  Occasionally 
one  has  been  founded  by  a  large  bequest,  launching 
it  at  once  on  the  high  wave  of  prosperity ;  but  the  rule 
has  been  the  other  way,  and  no  community  can  afford 
to  wait  for  such  a  windfall.  It  may  well  be  doubted 
whether  a  town  will  derive  as  much  benefit  from  a 
library  coming  in  the  shape  of  a  gift,  as  from  one 
which  has  grown  out  of  the  efforts  of  the  people  them- 


3O  Public  Libraries  in  America 

selves.  Certainly  no  community  need  be  without  a 
public  library,  the  process  of  forming  one  being  so 
simple  and  easy. 


NELSON:    Library    Legislation,   [APPLETON'S]  Annual  Cyclopaedia 

(New  York,  1887). 

POOLE  :  Library  Journal,  ii.  (1877),  7- 
HOMES  :  Library  Journal,  iv.  (1879),  262. 
UTLEY  :  Library  Journal,  xiv.  (1889),  190. 
SOLBERG  :  Library  Journal,  xv.  (1890),  supplement,  50. 
FLETCHER  :  Library  Journal,  xvi.  (1891),  supplement.  31. 


WILLIAM    FREDERICK   POOLE 

LATE    LIBRARIAN    NEWBKKRY    LIBRARY,   CHICAGO 


CHAPTER   III 
THE  PUBLIC  LIBRARY  AND  THE  COMMUNITY 

Books  should  to  one  of  these  four  ends  conduce, 
For  wisdom,  piety,  delight,  or  use. 

DENHAM. 

A  PERTINENT  question  regarding  the  public  li- 
**•  brary  as  an  institution  is,  —  What  good  does  it 
do?  Just  what  benefits  does  it  confer?  A  brief 
enumeration  of  those  most  easily  recognized  may  be 
given  here. 

First,  and  on  the  lowest  plane  of  usefulness,  it 
supplies  the  public  with  recreative  reading.  Excep- 
tion to  this  is  sometimes  taken  as  an  end  too  low 
to  merit  public  support.  But  those  who  thus  ob- 
ject fail  to  observe  that  in  the  expenditure  of  pub- 
lic money  on  parks,  with  their  accompaniment  of 
pleasure-grounds  of  various  kinds  and  free  concerts,  a 
precedent  has  long  existed.  For  if  it  is  right  that  the 
public  funds  provide  for  physical  recreation  and  aes- 
thetic enjoyment,  clearly  it  cannot  be  wrong  that 
intellectual  recreation  shall  also  be  furnished.  Gener- 
ally our  libraries  have  circulated  works  of  fiction  far 
in  excess  of  all  other  classes  of  books,  the  great 
majority  of  readers  seeming  to  care  for  nothing  else. 
This  simply  shows  how  great  is  the  demand  for  read- 
ing as  recreation.  To  the  masses  of  the  people,  hard- 
worked  and  living  hum-drum  lives,  as  well  as  to  those 
lapped  in  luxury  and  pining  for  something  to  kiU  time, 


32  Public  Libraries  in  America 

the  novel  comes  as  an  open  door  into  an  ideal  life, 
in  the  enjoyment  of  which,  even  in  fancy,  one  may 
forget  the  hardships  or  the  tedium  of  real  life.  This 
craving  for  that  romance  in  literature  which  is  missed 
from  life  will  be  met  in  some  way ;  it  is  the  province 
of  the  public  library  to  meet  it  with  a  supply  which  is 
wholesome  and  ennobling,  in  order  that  it  may  not 
turn  to  other  sources  furnishing  only  that  which  de- 
grades or  is  lacking  in  good  influence.  Indeed,  one 
of  the  highest  aims  for  a  public  library  may  be  to 
divert  the  recreative  reading  of  the  community  into 
better  channels,  to  replace  trash  with  light  literature 
of  increasingly  higher  order,  and  so  gradually  elevate 
the  ideals  and  sentiments  of  the  people.  No  public 
library  fails  to  furnish,  as  light  reading,  books  supe- 
rior to  the  average  of  the  fiction  purchased  at  the 
stands  and  circulated  in  thousands.  But  in  view  of 
the  possibilities  of  good  in  this  connection,  it  becomes 
the  directors  of  a  public  library  to  use  discretion  in  the 
supply  of  fiction,  which  may  be  exercised  both  in 
the  selection  of  books  and  in  the  manner  of  their 
distribution. 

Various  views  of  the  powers  and  duties  of  direc- 
tors have  been  held ;  it  is  sometimes  claimed  that 
the  demands  of  the  public  must  be  met,  and  that 
the  directors  have  no  right  or  duty  of  censorship. 
But  such  a  view  has  little  to  commend  or  support  it. 
On  the  contrary,  it  is  generally  felt  that  library  direc- 
tors are  permitted,  and  by  proper  interpretation  of 
their  trust  required,  to  accept  and  exercise  full  respon- 
sibility for  the  moral  character  and  influence  of  the 
library.  Not  what  different  classes  in  the  community 
call  for,  but  what  will  tend  to  elevate  and  refine  should 
be  their  criterion  in  the  selection  of  books  for  recre- 


The  Public  Library  and  the  Community     33 

ative  reading.  This  view  of  library  direction  is  con- 
sistent with  the  one  commonly  taken  of  our  school 
system  :  it  is  not  the  business  of  the  school  board  to 
provide,  in  studies  and  in  methods  of  instruction,  for 
the  varying  desires  and  demands  of  different  classes 
in  the  community,  but  to  use  judgment  in  making 
such  arrangements  as  will  best  promote  the  interests 
of  general  and  thorough  education.  For  some  reason, 
the  responsibilities  of  library  directors  have  not  always 
been  estimated  by  like  standards.  Too  often  has  the 
public  library  been  regarded  somewhat  as  a  public 
club,  a  purely  democratic  association  of  the  people 
for  mutual  mental  improvement  or  recreation.  But 
the  idea  is  coming  more  and  more  into  vogue  that  the 
public  library  is  a  great  educational  and  moral  power, 
to  be  wielded  with  a  full  sense  of  its  great  possibilities 
and  the  corresponding  danger  of  their  perversion. 

Reference  has  been  made  above  to  the  manner  of 
distribution  of  library  books  as  pertaining  to  the  bene- 
ficial effect  of  light  reading.  Half  the  battle  for  readers 
is  in  a  wise  selection,  even  of  novels.  No  library  ought 
to  issue  works  of  fiction  except  under  the  constant 
oversight  of  an  attendant  qualified  to  give  wholesome 
advice  to  readers,  thus  furnishing  that  guidance  which 
all  need,  and  very  many  request.  Here  and  there  this 
work  is  done  efficiently.  Some  lady  librarians  espe- 
cially, through  a  wise  helpfulness  in  directing  read- 
ers, are  wielding  an  influence  for  good  second  to  that 
of  no  preacher  or  teacher.  Such  guidance  for  readers 
is  now  furnished  in  many  public-library  catalogues. 
The  recently  published  fiction-lis 
cisco  public  library  is 
produced  of  a  work  cak 
taste  and  judgment  of 


34  Public  Libraries   in  America 

ranged  as  to  draw  attention  to  books  of  history  and 
travel,  of  biography  and  of  science,  which  are  natur- 
ally suggested  by  different  novels,  with  a  view  to  en- 
courage the  frequent  use  of  these  more  substantial 
works.  The  influence  of  light  reading  of  a  high  order 
of  literary  merit  in  elevating  and  refining  the  com- 
munity is  doubtless  potent,  —  all  the  more  so  because 
it  is  subtle  and  imperceptible.  Frequently  the  reading 
of  fiction  is  excused  as  being  at  least  harmless,  and 
library  reports  often  treat  the  matter  in  about  this 
fashion ;  but  good  fiction,  such  as  constitutes  nearly 
all  that  circulated  by  the  public  libraries,  has  a  posi- 
tive value,  and  is  far  from  requiring  apology.1 

Passing  now  to  more  obvious  benefits,  one  of  the 
most  noteworthy  is  the  supplying  of  books  needed  to 
give  those  workers  in  every  department  who  care  to 
read  and  study  the  means  of  perfecting  themselves  in 
their  work.  A  good  public  library  will  be  made  full 
along  those  lines  in  which  the  local  industries  are 
specialized,  and  will  at  the  same  time  provide  the  lead- 

1  An  admirable  treatment  of  the  question  of  fiction  in  public 
libraries  appears  in  a  paper  by  Dr  W.  F.  POOLE,  read  at  the 
Conference  of  Librarians  at  Philadelphia,  in  1876,  and  printed 
in  the  Library  Journal,  vol.  i.  pp.  45-51,  from  which  the  fol- 
lowing extract  is  taken  :  — 

'  History  professes  to  relate  actual  events,  biography  to  de- 
scribe actual  lives,  and  science  to  unfold  and  explain  natural 
laws  and  physical  phenomena.  Fiction  treats  these  and  other 
subjects,  mental,  moral,  sentimental,  and  divine,  from  an  ideal 
or  artistic  standpoint ;  and  the  great  mass  of  readers  prefer  to 
take  their  knowledge  in  this  form.  More  is  known  to-day  of 
the  history  and  traditions  of  Scotland,  and  of  the  social  cus- 
toms of  London  from  the  novels  of  Sir  WALTER  SCOTT  and 
CHARLES  DICKENS  than  from  all  the  histories  of  those  localities. 
Fiction  is  the  art  element  in  literature;  and  the  most  enduring 
monuments  of  genius  in  the  literature  of  any  people  are  works 
of  the  imagination.' 


The  Public  Library  and  the  Community     35 

ing  books  on  kindred  arts.  Thereby  the  especial 
industries  already  established  will  be  furthered,  and  the 
introduction  of  others  promoted.  The  artisan  can  no 
longer  afford  to  despise  book-learning.  Everywhere 
it  is  recognized  that,  other  things  being  equal,  the 
man  whose  practical  knowledge  of  his  work  is  supple- 
mented by  theoretical  acquaintance  through  its  best 
literature,  will  easily  outstrip  the  mere  perfunctory 
worker  ;  2  and  that  the  community  whose  artisans  are 
thus  equipped  will  flourish  at  the  expense  of  rival  towns 
where  the  standard  of  acquirement  is  lower.  It  may 
seem  like  debasing  the  library  to  cite  the  enhancing 
of  facilities  for  money-making  as  one  of  its  objects ; 
but  viewed  in  the  true  light,  it  is  far  otherwise  :  addi- 

2  A  striking  illustration  came  to  my  notice  recently.  A 
thorough  mechanic,  temporarily  employed  in  a  great  engine- 
works,  who  has  all  his  life  associated  the  practice  of  the  shop 
with  the  best  available  literature  of  his  art,  was  directed  by  the 
superintendent  to  lay  out  and  finish  the  valves  of  a  low  pres- 
sure engine  of  1200  horse-power.  These  valves  were  more 
than  six  feet  long,  and  had  been  squared  off  on  the  ends  by 
putting  them  on  a  planer,  after  which  they  were  to  be  laid  out 
for  turning.  Here  the  customary  practice  of  the  shop  dictated 
one  method  of  procedure,  while  the  mechanic's  knowledge  of 
the  construction  and  working  of  the  valves  indicated  another. 
Furthermore,  if  the  old  rule  were  to  be  followed,  he  saw  clearly 
that  these  especial  castings  would  be  spoiled,  the  valves  use- 
less, and  the  firm  occasioned  an  unnecessary  loss  of  several 
hundred  dollars.  On  explaining  it  to  the  superintendent,  he  at 
first  insisted  that  the  old  way  was  right ;  but,  finally,  having  to 
admit  that  his  nominal  subordinate  was  really  his  master,  he 
directed  him  to  lay  out  the  valves  properly,  '  if  he  knew  how.' 
It  was  a  nice  piece  of  work ;  but  when  completed  they  were 
found  to  perform  perfectly,  and  the  constant  hours  of  study, 
morning  and  evening,  were  more  than  repaid  by  a  demon- 
stration of  that  superiority  which  always  distinguishes  from 
the  bungler  the  worker  who  possesses  complete  mastery  of 
his  art.  —  D.  P.  T. 


36  Public  Libraries  in  America 

tional  money  earned  by  superior  quality  of  workman- 
ship is  pretty  sure  to  be  used  in  such  a  way  as  to  bring 
blessings  and  to  enrich  the  individual  life.  When  thus 
used,  the  power  to  earn  more  money  becomes  a  means 
of  culture  and  development,  and  money-getting  is  no 
longer  an  unworthy  object.  Many  cities  may  easily 
be  named  where  this  effect  of  the  public  library  in 
raising  the  quality  of  work  and  elevating  the  lives  of 
working- people  is  strongly  marked,  although  the  first 
generation  to  feel  this  effect  has  not  yet  passed  away, — 
in  England,  Birmingham,  and  Manchester,  and,  in  this 
country,  Worcester,  Waterbury,  Cleveland,  and  many 
others,  peculiarly  manufacturing  towns,  and  among 
the  larger  cities,  Boston,  Cincinnati,  St  Louis,  Balti- 
more, and  Chicago. 

Another  marked  influence  of  the  public  library  re- 
sides in  the  sphere  of  social  and  political  education, — 
the  training  of  citizens.  In  these  days  of  earnest  dis- 
cussion of  economic  and  social  questions,  our  libraries 
are  well  furnished  with  books  and  periodicals  voicing 
the  views  of  the  best  thinkers ;  and  the  people  who 
have  access  to  such  a  library  are  eager  readers  of  them. 
But  probably  it  is  through  the  less  direct  teaching  of 
books  of  history,  biography,  and  travel  that  the  most 
good  in  this  direction  is  likely  to  be  done.  '  History,' 
it  has  been  well  said,  '  is  past  politics,  and  politics, 
present  history.'  The  reading  of  historical  works  forms 
the  best  possible  preparation  for  sharing  in  public 
affairs,  and  meeting  questions  of  public  policy,  as 
every  voter  ought.  And  works  of  biography,  exhibit- 
ing, as  most  of  them  do,  high  personal  ideals  applied 
to  public  affairs,  are  of  the  greatest  utility  in  raising 
the  standard  of  life  by  their  quiet  and  perhaps  uncon- 
scious influence,  thereby  preparing  men  to  bear  them- 


The  Public  Library  and  the  Community      37 

selves  fittingly  toward  their  fellows.  So  also  books  of 
travel  familiarize  their  readers  with  the  conditions  of 
life  in  other  countries,  and  induce  more  intelligent 
judgments  in  all  matters  of  social  and  civil  order  and 
progress.  Who  will  doubt  that  men  who  have  enjoyed 
the  advantage  of  a  wide  outlook  on  history  and  on 
the  world  of  to-day  are  better  citizens  than  those  who 
for  lack  of  reading  and  general  information  are  narrow 
and  insular  in  their  views  ? 

But  neither  the  supply  of  recreative  reading  nor 
the  better  equipment  of  men  for  their  work  or  for 
social  and  civic  duties  represents  the  highest  and  best 
influence  of  the  library.  That  may  be  summed  up  in 
the  single  word  culture,  although  abuse  has  perverted 
the  term  into  something  like  cant.  No  word  so  well 
describes  the  influence  of  the  diffusion  of  good  reading 
among  the  people  in  giving  tone  and  character  to  their 
intellectual  life.  And  that  not  only  the  intellectual 
but  the  moral  and  spiritual  life  of  a  community  is 
ameliorated  by  good  books,  none  will  deny.  The  free 
reading-rooms  connected  with  most  of  our  public  libra- 
ries are  powerful  agents  for  counteracting  the  attractions 
of  saloons  and  low  resorts  of  all  types.  Especially  use- 
ful are  they  to  those  boys  and  young  men  who  have 
perhaps  a  dormant  fondness  for  reading  and  culture, 
but  lack  home  and  school  opportunities.  Multitudes 
of  such  youth  have  been  saved  from  wasted  and  ruined 
lives  by  being  drawn  into  a  free  use  and  enjoyment  of 
the  public  library. 

It  is  a  significant  fact  that  everywhere  the  clergy 
are  found  foremost  in  advancing  the  library  move- 
ment. With  abundant  opportunities  for  knowing 
both  theoretically  and  practically  the  advantages 
of  such  institutions,  they  are  always  outspoken  in 


38  Public  Libraries  in  America 

their  behalf,  and  in  a  multitude  of  places  serve  on 
boards  of  management.  While  books,  even  good 
books,  are  not  always  entitled  to  be  called  means  of 
grace,  whoever  will  look  candidly  at  the  matter  will 
clearly  see  that  only  narrow  and  dwarfed  ideas  on 
spiritual  subjects  and  a  distorted  form  of  religious  life 
can  consist  with  poverty  of  resources  in  mind  and  in- 
tellect. None  are  more  impressed  with  the  need  of 
culture  to  lay  a  basis  for  large,  tolerant,  and  truly 
Christian  views  and  practices  than  those  who  endea- 
vor to  show  the  meagre  and  stunted  intellects  of  the 
masses  the  Way,  the  Truth,  and  the  Life.  Not  that 
their  salvation  is  to  begin  with  culture,  but  in  order 
that  religion  maybe  all  that  it  should,  the  enlargement 
and  development  .of  the  higher  human  faculties  obvi- 
.ously  should  precede. 

If  this  should  seem  a  digression,  it  is  to  be  plainly 
<observed  that  no  agency  has  yet  been  found  more 
efficient  than  the  public  library  in  providing  all  classes 
•in  the  community  with  the  means  of  culture  of  the 
worthiest  type.  Beginning,  then,  with  the  recreative 
agency  of  the  library,  and  proceeding  to  higher  uses,  it 
is  instrumental  in  elevating  and  refining  taste,  giving 
to  the  worker  in  every  department  greater  efficiency 
in  daily  occupation,  diffusing  sound  principles  of  social 
and  political  action,  furnishing  intellectual  culture  to 
all,  and  co-working  powerfully  with  the  churches  in 
the  endeavor  to  lead  men  to  live  the  higher  life. 


NOTE.  —  Nowhere  has  the  use  and  value  of  the  free 
public  library  been  better  set  forth  than  in  a  paper  read 
by  Mr  CRUNDEN,  Librarian  of  the  Public  Library  of  St 
Louis,  before  the  Commercial  Club  of  that  city,  i8th  Feb- 
ruary 1893,  and  printed  for  use  as  a  campaign  document 


Ihe  Public  Library  and  the  Community     39 

in  the  successful  effort,  quite  recently  made,  to  secure  the 
free  opening  of  that  library  to  the  public,  and  its  support 
by  a  direct  tax  levy.  In  this  paper  the  following  quota- 
tion is  given  from  Methods  of  Social  Reform,  by 
STANLEY  JEVONS . — 

'  Among  the  methods  of  social  reform  which  are  compara- 
tively easy  of  accomplishment  and  sure  of  action,  may  be 
placed  the  establishment  of  Free  Public  Libraries.  .  .  .  There 
is  probably  no  mode  of  expending  public  money  which  gives  a 
more  extraordinary  and  immediate  return  in  utility  and  inno- 
cent enjoyment.' 

Speaking  of  the  fact  that  a  subscription  fee,  however 
small,  acts  as  a  bar  to  thousands  who  would  use  a  free 
library,  Mr  CRUNDEN  says:  — 

'  The  Springfield  [Massachusetts]  Library  is  a  notable  illus- 
tration of  the  advantage  of  an  entirely  free  library.  The  fee  was 
gradually  reduced  until  it  was  only  one  dollar  a  year,  payable 
fifty  cents  at  a  time.  Still  the  circulation  was  behind  that  of 
free  libraries  in  smaller  towns.  The  first  year  after  the  removal 
of  this  small  fee,  the  circulation  was  trebled.  ...  At  Chicopeei 
Massachusetts,  the  abolition  of  a  fee  increased  the  circulation 
from  10,000  to  25,000  the  first  year,  and  35,000  the  second 
year.  The  Mercantile  Library  of  Peoria,  Illinois,  turned  ever 
to  the  city  and  made  free,  notes  an  increase,  in  ten  years,  of 
members  from  275  to  4,500,  and  of  issues  from  15,000  to  90,000 
volumes.' 


Among  a  vast  number  of  references  on  the  utility  of  public  libraries, 
the  following  have  special  value  :  — 

TICKNOR  :  Life,  Letters,  and  Journals,  vol.  ii  ,  pp.  300  et  seq. 

LOWELL  :  Address  at  opening  of  Library,  Chelsea,  Massachusetts, 
1885  (in  his  Prose  Works,  vol.  vi.,  p.  78). 

EVERETT  :  A.idress  at  Dedication  of  Public  Library  Building, 
Boston,  1858. 

DEWEY  :  Libraries  as  related  to  the  Educational  Work  of  the 
State;  address  before  Convocation  of  the  University  of  the  State  of 
New  York,  1888. 

LOBBOCK  :   The  Use  of  Life,  ch.  viii.     On  Libraries. 


CHAPTER   IV 

LIBRARY  BUILDINGS 

This  concert-hall  of  the  finest  voices 
gathered  from  all  times  and  places. 

RICHTER. 

'~PHE  question  how  library  buildings  should  be 
•*•  constructed  has  been  much  discussed  of  late 
years,  with  a  definite  advance  toward  an  answer 
in  which  the  library  world  will  agree.  In  the  first 
place  there  is  a  general  disposition  to  abandon  the 
conventional  method  of  construction,  in  which  the 
room  was  divided  into  alcoves,  with  one  or  more 
galleries.  The  old  building  of  the  Boston  Public 
Library,  and  those  of  the  Astor  Library  in  New  York, 
and  the  Peabody  Institute  in  Baltimore,  are  good 
types  of  that  style  of  building.  In  these  structures 
the  whole  interior,  with  slight  exceptions,  is  thrown 
into  one  hall,  surrounded  by  alcoves,  the  only  place 
for  tables  for  reading  or  study  being  in  the  middle 
of  the  room.  So  strong  is  the  force  of  custom  and 
sentiment,  that  some  libraries  are  still  erected  on  this 
plan  in  deference  to  its  antiquity  and  its  historic 
associations,  and  in  spite  of  serious  practical  disad- 
vantages. These  may  be  summed  up  as  follows  : 

1 i )  The  number  of  books  housed  is  pitifully  small 
in  proportion  to  the  size  of  the  building. 

(2)  Access  to  the  books  and  the  passing  from  one 
portion  of  the    library  to  another  are   more   difficult 
and  irksome  than  by  other  plans. 


SIX-FLOOR    STACK   OF   THE   AMHF.RST   COLLEGE 
LIBRARY 

THE    FIGURES    IN    THE    RIGHT-HAND    MARGIN    INDICATE   THE 
POSITION    OF   THE    FLOORS 


Library  Buildings  41 

(3)  The  quiet  and  retirement  needed  for  literary 
work  are  denied  to  readers  by  the  fact  of  their  being 
surrounded  by  alcoves,  in  which  visitors  and  attend- 
ants are  constantly  moving  about. 

(4)  Those  books  placed  in  the  galleries,  especially 
those  near  the  top  of  the  room,  suffer  very  seriously 
from  the  heat  and  the  gases  which  accumulate  near  the 
ceiling. 

(5)  In  case  of  fire,  the  injury  by  fire  and  by  water 
is  inevitably  much  larger  with  this  arrangement  than 
with  one  by  which  the  library  is  placed  in  several 
moderate-sized  rooms. 

In  the  effort  to  avoid  the  inconveniences  and  diffi- 
culties inherent  to  this  conventional  mode  of  library 
building,  two  leading  styles  have  been  developed 
which  at  present  share  the  favor  of  librarians.  These 
are  the  '  stack  system,'  so-called,  and  another  which 
having  yet  received  no  accepted  designation,  may  be 
called  after  its  leading  exponent,  the  '  Poole  system.' 
There  are  many  modifications  of  each  of  these  sys- 
tems, but  at  present  two  large  buildings  nearing  com- 
pletion, those  of  the  Boston  Public  Library,  and  of  the 
Newberry  Library  in  Chicago,  may  be  regarded  as 
the  leading  examples  of  these  two  styles,  each  at  its 
best.  The  Boston  Library  represents  the  stack  system, 
the  edifice  consisting,  besides  accessories,  of  two 
main  portions,  the  book-stack  and  the  reading-room. 
The  idea  of  the  book-stack  is  to  provide  compact 
storage  for  a  large  number  of  volumes,  not  supposed 
to  be  used  in  the  stack  to  any  great  extent,  but  to  be 
conveyed  for  use  to  the  reading-room.  The  stack,  as 
usually  built,  consists  of  a  series  of  iron  bookcases 
running  from  bottom  to  top  of  a  high  room,  divided 
at  intervals  of  about  seven  feet  by  light  open-work  or 


42  Public  Libraries  in  America 

glass  floors,  making  six  stories  in  a  height  of  forty- 
five  feet,  every  shelf  being  within  easy  reach  from  one 
of  the  floors.  Every  foot  of  the  height  of  the  room 
being  occupied,  and  the  passages  between  and  around 
the  cases  being  reduced  to  a  minimum,  the  stack  does 
undoubtedly  offer  the  most  compact  storage  of  books 
with  great  ease  of  access  to  every  part.  The  inter- 
vening floors  are  usually  of  perforated  iron,  or  largely 
of  glass,  so  that  the  light,  taken  both  from  large  side 
windows  and  from  the  roof,  penetrates  with  some 
facility  to  the  inner  and  lower  portions  of  the  shelv- 
ing. At  the  same  time  it  has  not  been  found  possible 
to  get  any  considerable  amount  of  light  to  pass 
through  more  than  one  of  these  floors.  Below  the 
upper  two  stories  of  a  stack,  the  light  must  mainly  be 
derived  from  the  side  windows.  If  a  stack  is  large 
it  is  obvious  that  daylight  cannot  be  depended  on  to 
light  most  of  its  interior,  and  in  fact  reliance  is  gen- 
erally placed  on  artificial  light. 

The  principal  objections  brought  against  the  stack 
system  of  building  are  as  follows  :  No  system  of  heat- 
ing and  ventilation  will  prevent  the  air  in  the  upper 
stories  from  being  overheated,  especially  as  it  is 
generally  deemed  necessary  to  have  the  building 
open  up  to  the  roof  to  secure  sky  light ;  it  does 
not  admit  of  the  proper  lighting  of  the  books  on  the 
shelves,  except  by  artificial  light,  —  the  window  light 
coming  into  the  passages  as  light  does  into  a  tunnel, 
and  being  of  little  service  to  light  the  backs  of  the 
books ;  in  the  effort  to  get  as  much  daylight  as  pos- 
sible into  the  stack,  the  windows  are  made  so  large 
that  only  by  the  greatest  care  in  the  use  of  shutters  or 
curtains  can  the  books  near  them  be  protected  from 
injury  by  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun;  little  or  no  pro- 


JF  }  J  *. 

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THE   LIBRARY    OF   CONGRESS 

PLAN   OF   NEW   BUILDING 

[  The  two  stacks  are  to  contain  nearly  two  million  i<olumcs,  while  the  other  portions 
of  the  building  will  accommodate  twice  as  many  inore.\ 


Library  Buildings  43 

vision  can  be  made  for  the  access  of  readers  to  the 
shelves,  the  idea  of  the  stack  being  that  of  a  place  to 
keep  the  books  when  not  in  use. 

Perhaps  this  last  consideration  is  one  of  the  most 
serious  objections  to  the  stack  system ;  for  there  is  in 
recent  years  a  decided  growth  of  feeling  in  favor  of  the 
admission  of  readers  to  the  shelves,  at  least  in  reference 
libraries,  and  in  those  portions  (probably  more  than  one 
half)  of  general  libraries  used  rather  for  reference  than 
for  circulation.  If  such  a  use  of  the  books  is  to  be  en- 
couraged, there  should  be  well-lighted  spaces  distrib- 
uted throughout  the  library,  and  furnished  with  tables 
and  chairs  for  the  use  of  the  books.  In  the  Amherst 
stack,  of  which  an  illustration  accompanies  this  chap- 
ter, such  provision  is  made  by  having  alternate  stacks 
shortened,  thus  giving  the  desired  space.  If  this  were 
done  usually  in  stack  structures,  a  large  objection  to 
them  would  be  removed.  But  certain  minor  practical 
inconveniences  occur  to  make  a  seat  in  a  stack  build- 
ing not  the  best  place  for  reading  or  study,  especially 
when  the  floors  are  perforated  and  the  building  is 
very  much  used.  The  exigencies  of  the  stack  are 
such  that  it  is  usually  built  with  a  comparatively  small 
floor  area,  and  carried  to  such  a  height  as  to  involve 
the  mounting  of  many  stairs  in  passing  from  one  sec- 
tion to  another.  Elevators  are  likely  to  be  introduced 
into  the  larger  stacks  now  building,  but  they  will  only 
partially  obviate  the  objection  to  the  multiplicity  of 
stories  of  small  area.  The  objection  to  enlarging  the 
area  of  the  stack  is  that  the  interior  cannot  be  lighted 
from  the  sides,  —  the  intervening  floors,  as  has  before 
been  said,  shutting  out  most  of  the  light  except  that 
entering  laterally. 

It  is  also  a  grave  question,  which  has  not  yet  been 


44  Public  Libraries  in  America 

tested,  whether  the  stack  does  not  invite,  in  case  of 
fire,  the  increased  loss  arising  from  *  putting  all  the 
eggs  in  one  basket.'  The  iron  stack  is  nominally 
a  fire-proof  structure,  especially  if  it  have  metallic 
shelves.  But  books  will  burn,  not  consuming  rapidly, 
although  when  standing  in  tiers  of  shelves  they  offer  a 
fine  opportunity  for  the  spread  of  fire  on  their  backs 
and  edges.  As  the  stack  must  be  built  with  numerous 
openings  through  from  floor  to  floor,  it  seems  quite 
likely  that  if  a  fire  were  once  started  in  one,  it  might 
spread  with  great  rapidity,  even  with  metal  shelves. 
The  finest  type  of  large  stack  yet  erected  is  that 
in  the  Congressional  Library's  new  building  at  Wash- 
ington. Each  shelf  consists  of  a  series  of  steel  bars 
framed  together  at  the  ends,  forming  an  ideal  shelf, 
from  the  fact  that  dust  cannot  accumulate,  but  must 
fall  through  the  interstices.  The  stacks,  two  in  num- 
ber, each  with  ten  floors,  are  calculated  to  contain  in 
all  1,600,000  volumes.  These  stacks  are  on  opposite 
sides  of  the  great  reading-room  in  the  rotunda,  and 
fire  could  not  spread  from  one  to  the  other.  That  a 
fire  should  ever  gain  headway  in  either  seems  very 
unlikely ;  but  if  it  should,  it  might  spread  very  rapidly 
and  do  an  infinite  amount  of  damage. 

Turning  from  the  stack  system  to  what  has  been 
spoken  of  as  the  '  Poole  '  system,1  —  it  undertakes 
to  avoid  the  leading  difficulties  of  the  stack  by  sep- 
arating the  library  into  departments,  placing  each  on 
a  separate  floor  or  in  a  separate  room  in  a  building 
with  fire-proof  floors  and  partitions,  by  which  fire  can 
be  kept  within  bounds  and  the  damage  confined  to 

1  Construction  of  Library  Buildings,  by  W.  F.  PoOLE,  LL.D., 
published  by  the  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Education,  as  Circular  of  In- 
formation No.  i  for  1 88 1. 


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Library  Bui/dings  45 

one  section  of  the  building;  by  having  bookcases 
occupying  only  one  half  the  height  of  each  room 
(y£  feet  in  15),  the  upper  part  of  the  walls  being 
filled  with  windows  which  insure  a  flood  of  diffused 
light  in  every  part  of  the  interior;  by  providing  in 
each  department  ample  space  for  reading  and  study, 
with  good  light  and  all  facilities.  It  does  not  claim 
quite  so  compact  '  storage  '  of  books  as  the  stack,  but 
a  more  convenient  and  practical  arrangement  of  them, 
and  a  style  of  building  adapted  to  the  ready  use  of 
the  elevator  in  passing  from  one  story  to  another. 

That  this  method  of  building  is  not  extravagant 
of  space  is  evidenced  by  the  fact  that  the  Newberry 
library  building  now  erecting  is  expected  to  accom- 
modate over  a  million  of  volumes,  while  it  covers  only 
one  side  of  the  block  of  land  devoted  to  its  ultimate 
use.  The  merits  of  this  department  system  are  yet 
to  be  tested,  but  it  can  hardly  be  doubted  that  they 
will  be  great,  especially  in  the  case  of  large  reference 
libraries.2 

As  applied  to  smaller  libraries  the  Poole  plan  calls 
for  a  book-room  with  as  ample  floor  area  as  can  be 
secured,  all  books  to  be  shelved  within  7^  feet  of  the 
floor.  Such  a  room  60  X  100  feet  will  thus  accom- 

2  The  new  building  for  the  Library  of  Congress,  now  near- 
ing  completion,  presents  a  combination  of  the  stack  and  Poole 
systems.  Two  very  large  stacks,  each  with  a  capacity  of 
800,000  volumes,  occupy  the  central  portion  of  the  two  quad- 
rangles, north  and  south  of  the  great  rotunda  containing  the 
reading-room.  These  stacks  are  to  contain  the  general  library, 
from  which  books  to  be  used  must  be  sent  for  from  the  reading- 
room.  Running  all  round  the  outside  of  the  two  quadrangles 
is  the  main  portion  of  the  building,  divided  into  a  great  number 
of  rooms,  for  special  collections,  etc.  The  entire  capacity  of 
the  building  is  supposed  to  be  over  five  million  volumes,  less 
than  one  third  being  in  the  central  stacks.  (See  p.  73.) 


46  Public  Libraries  in  America 

moclate  about  100,000  volumes,  and  leave  space  for  a 
large  number  of  tables  for  the  use  of  readers  admitted 
to  the  shelves.  When  the  library  grows  beyond  this 
size  it  should  have  additional  stories,  and  be  divided 
on  the  department  plan.  A  building  may  be  erected 
with  two  stories,  of  about  equal  height,  and  basement, 
the  latter  being  mainly  above  ground  with  sub-cellar. 

When  the  main  floor  (first  story)  begins  to  be  well 
filed,  portions  of  the  library  least  used,  long  sets  of 
documents,  files  of  newspapers,  etc.,  can  be  shelved  in 
the  basement,  provision  being  made  there  for  their 
convenient  use ;  and  certain  other  classes  of  books 
may  gradually  fee  segregated  and  transferred  to  the 
upper  floor,  which  will  in  time  become  a  separate 
department,  the  rnaia  floor  continuing  to  provide  tor 
the  most  used  classes.  A  building  of  stone  or  brick 
•to  accommodate  250,000  volumes  on  this  plan,  with  the 
.addition  of  a  large  wing  for  the  reading-room,  offices, 
.etc.,  can  ;be  ;  built  in  the  most  thorough  manner  for 
$100,000,  and  :be  made  as  nearly  fire-proof  as  need  be.8 

8  The  Forbes  Library  of  Northampton,  of  which  an  eleva- 
tion and  plan  are  given  with  this  chapter,  is  offered  as  a  good 
example  of  such  a  building.  Its  capacity  will  be  not  far 
from  250,000  volumes  in  cases  seven  feet  high,  or  400,000 
if  it  should  ever  be  deemed  best  to  raise  the  cases  on  the  two 
main  floors  to  fourteen  feet,  putting  in  a  midway  open  flooring. 
The  building  is  of  stone  thoroughly  fire-proof,  and  will  cost 
not  over  $100,000,  furnished  and  provided  with  cases  for 
100,000  volumes.  The  Mercantile  Library  of  New  York,  of 
which  a  view  is  given  at  p.  50,  represents  a  new  style  of 
city  library  building  which  depends  for  its  origin  and  its  utility 
on  the  modern  rapid-running  elevator.  It  is  essentially  just 
such  a  building  as  the  Forbes  Library,  placed  on  top  of  a  busi- 
ness block  four  or  five  stories  in  height,  by  which  means  the 
ground  is  made  to  pay  a  large  rental,  and  the  lower  stories 
*  support '  the  library  in  a  double  sense,  and  at  the  same  time 
lift  it  above  surrounding  edifices  into  good  light  and  pure  air. 


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Library  Buildings  47 

The  ratio  of  cost  of  building  to  number  of  volumes 
accommodated  is  not  applicable  with  entire  fairness 
to  all  libraries,  but  it  serves  for  purposes  of  general 
comparison.  It  will  be  found  to  vary  from  25  cents 
to  $3  or  $4,  according  as  buildings  are  or  are  not 
wisely  planned  to  secure  book  capacity,  and  are  more 
or  less  decorative  in  style.  Any  cost  beyond  one 
dollar  for  every  two  books  accommodated,  with  all 
needed  space  for  reading  and  for  library  administra- 
tion, may  fairly  be  considered  as  extravagant,  except 
as  extra  expense  is  devoted  to  making  the  structure 
serve  a  monumental  purpose  or  to  its  decoration. 

While  on  the  subject  of  library  buildings,  a  few 
remarks  may  well  be  made  on  the  general  arrange- 
ment of  such  edifices  in  all  their  parts.  Several  things 
are  essential  to  any  good  library  building,  large  or 
small,  and  the  difference  between  large  and  small 
should  be  mainly  one  of  scale. 

The  entrance  should  open  conveniently  into  a  gen- 
eral lobby  or  '  delivery-room '  with  a  counter  for  the 
drawing  of  books,  the  entrance  to  the  reading-room 
being  at  one  side,  and  access  to  the  book-room 
through  a  gateway  in  the  counter.  The  librarian's 
room,  with  ample  space  for  the  necessary  work  of 
cataloguing,  etc.  (insufficient  in  most  libraries) ,  should 
be  so  placed  as  to  communicate  readily  with  both 
the  delivery-room  and  the  book-room.  The  receiving 
and  unpacking  of  boxes  of  books  should  be  done  in 
the  basement,  a  small  hoist  being  provided  to  take 
them  to  the  librarian's  room.  The  reading-room 
should  be  separated  from  the  delivery-room  by  a  glass 
partition,  giving  the  desk-attendant  supervision  of 
all  its  parts.  It  should  be.  lighted,  if  possible,  mainly 
from  the  north  and  east,  south  light  being  taken  only 


48  Public  Libraries  in  America 

as  a  last  resort ;  but  there  should  be  an  abundance  of 
daylight,  with  the  least  possible  amount  of  direct 
sunshine.  The  reading-room  should  contain  the  peri- 
odicals and  newspapers,  and  a  careful  selection  of  the 
best  reference  books,  comprising  encyclopaedias,  dic- 
tionaries of  languages,  of  biography,  of  the  sciences, 
etc.,  atlases,  and  other  works.  Readers  should  be 
encouraged  to  draw  other  books  from  the  general 
library  for  use  in  the  reading-room ;  but,  as  already 
intimated,  those  who  wish  to  make  serious  use  of  the 
books  in  some  special  department  of  the  library  should 
be  admitted  to  that  department  and  provided  with  all 
needed  facilities. 

In  planning  a  building,  attention  should  be  paid 
to  the  securing  of  such  an  arrangement  of  delivery- 
room,  reading-room,  entrance  to  book-room,  and 
librarian's  room,  as  will  conduce  to  economy  of  ad- 
ministration by  increasing  the  extent  of  oversight 
which  one  attendant  may  exercise.  The  salary  of  an 
extra  attendant  represents  the  interest  on  a  sum  which 
would  go  far  to  make  the  arrangement  of  the  parts  of 
the  building  what  it  should  be.  Taking  into  account 
the  practical  uses  of  the  modern  library,  it  is  readily 
seen  that  it  needs  a  building  planned  from  inside  and 
not  from  without,  dictated  by  convenience  and  not  by 
taste,  no  matter  how  good.  The  order  should  be  to 
require  the  architect  to  put  a  presentable  exterior  on 
an  interior  having  only  use  in  view,  and  not,  as  is  so 
often  done,  to  require  the  librarian  to  make  the  best 
he  can  of  an  interior  imposed  by  the  exigencies  of  the 
architect's  taste  or  the  demand  of  a  building  com- 
mittee for  a  monumental  structure. 

Cognate  to  the  subject  of  the  library  building  is 
that  of  the  construction  of  bookcases  or  stacks.  Just 


Library  Buildings  49 

at  present  a  number  of  patented  devices  in  the  way 
of  bookcases,  wholly  or  partly  of  metal,  are  in  the  field, 
and  indications  appear  to  point  to  a  general  adoption 
of  some  such  case.  But  whatever  style  of  bookcase 
is  adopted,  it  should  conform  to  one  simple  require- 
ment, affecting  the  capacity  of  the  room  and  conveni- 
ence of  classification  of  the  books.  It  should  cover  no 
more  floor  than  is  necessary,  or,  in  other  words,  should 
not  be  deeper  for  the  sake  of  a  minority  of  the  books 
than  it  need  be  for  the  majority.  It  is  probably 
not  going  too  far  to  say  that  not  one  tenth  of  the 
libraries  in  the  country  are  shelved  according  to  this 
principle.  In  most  of  them,  one  of  two  things  is 
done,  —  either  all  the  shelves  are  made  one  foot  or 
more  in  depth,  or  all  lower  shelves  are  so  made,  the 
case  being  narrower  above,  giving  a  ledge  on  which 
volumes  may  be  rested.  In  either  case  the  floor 
space  occupied  by  a  bookcase  is  the  same,  being 
that  required  for  a  case  in  which  all  the  books  are 
one  foot  in  depth.  When  it  is  found  that  in  an 
average  public  library  not  over  one  volume  in  twenty 
exceeds  i\  inches  in  depth,  the  wastefulness  of  this 
arrangement  is  apparent ;  and  when  the  shelves  are 
several  inches  deeper  than  the  books,  volumes  are 
constantly  being  pushed  back,  and,  for  the  time  being, 
lost  behind  the  other  books. 

The  most  satisfactory  bookcases  are  those  made 
about  15  inches  through  (for  a  double  case),  each 
shelf  being  y|  inches  deep,  and  without  any  backing 
or  partition  dividing  the  two  sides.  Then  such  books 
as  exceed  y|  inches  in  depth  can  be  brought  together 
on  lower  shelves,  allowing  just  as  many  as  may  be  ne- 
cessary in  each  case  or  stack  to  run  through  the  case, 
sacrificing  the  shelf-room  on  the  other  side.  It  will 

4 


50  Public  Libraries  in  America 

be  found  that  about  one  shelf  in  20  or  25  will  thus  be 
lost,  while  a  very  much  greater  gain  is  made  by  the 
case  occupying  15  inches  of  the  floor,  instead  of  24. 
The  passages  between  the  cases  remaining  the  same, 
the  increase  of  the  number  of  volumes  accommodated 
will  be  about  25  per  cent. 

All  shelves  should  be  made  movable  and  easily 
adjustable.  Many  devices  are  now  in  the  market  for 
this  purpose,  several  of  which  are  good.  For  ordi- 
nary wooden  cases  nothing  is  better,  as  combining 
effectiveness  with  simplicity  and  cheapness,  than 
to  allow  the  shelves  to  rest  at  each  end  on  two  com- 
mon picture  eyes  screwed  into  the  uprights  and 
countersunk  in  the  shelves. 

Bookcases  must  be  made  of  thoroughly  seasoned 
lumber,  and  should  be  built  rather  solidly  in  order  that 
they  may  stand  true  and  hold  their  own.  When  placed 
in  rows  they  should  be  braced  in  both  directions  by 
rods  or  strips  of  wood  passing  across  the  tops  of  the 
cases  and  secured  to  each.  Shelves  should  be  not 
more  than  three  feet  in  length  between  uprights,  or 
better  30  inches,  and  an  inch  thick  or  not  less  than  J 
of  an  inch  when  dressed. 

The  narrow  aisles  between  cases  should  be  from  30 
to  32  inches  wide;  the  wider  ones  between  rows  of 
cases,  not  less  than  four  feet. 

The  artificial  lighting  of  a  book-room  arranged  after 
this  plan  can  only  be  done  satisfactorily  by  providing 
gas-burners  or  electric  lights  overhead  in  each  passage 
between  cases.  For  this  as  for  all  library  uses,  elec- 
tricity is  greatly  preferable.  Many  libraries  are  fitted 
with  electric  lamps  for  each  passage,  which  hang  by  a 
long  flexible  tube.  When  not  in  use  they  are  hung 
on  a  hook  and  turned  off.  A  person  entering  the 


MERCANTILE    LIBRARY,   NEW   YORK   CITY 

[  The  library  occupies  the  two  upper  floors  only,  ivhich  give  a  capacity  of  475,000 
volumes )  with  ample  reading-rooms,  offices,  etc.\ 


Library  Buildings  51 

passage  can  take  down  the  lamp,  turn  it  on,  and  hold 
it  anywhere  in  front  of  the  shelves.  On  leaving  the 
passage  he  puts  out  the  lamp,  and  returns  it  to  the 
hook,  by  which  means  only  a  small  proportion  of  the 
lamps  are  burning  at  any  one  time. 

For  lighting  a  reading-room,  nothing  compares  with 
the  incandescent  electric  lamp  properly  applied.  The 
lights  should  be  in  the  form  of  standing  lamps  on  the 
table,  the  wires  coming  up  from,  or  through,  the 
floor  under  each  table.  The  amount  of  heat  from  oil 
Limps  or  gas  is  very  great,  and  its  effect  on  the  heads 
of  readers  at  the  tables  is  extremely  unfavorable.  The 
fact  that  very  little  heat  is  radiated  from  the  electric 
lamp  constitutes  perhaps  its  chief  advantage  for  this 
use. 


The  subject  of  library  buildings  has  been  discussed  at  nearly  all  the 
conferences  of  American  librarians,  of  which  full  reports  are  to  be 
found  in  the  Library  Journal,  passim.  Special  mention  may  be  made 
of  a  paper  on  the  advantages  of  the  stack  system,  in  vol.  iv.  pp.  294- 
296,  by  Mr  HENRY  VAN  BRUNT,  and  a  recent  summing  up  of  progress 
toward  agreement  on  disputed  points,  by  Mr  C.  C.  SOULE,  in  vols. 
xvi.  (conference  supp.  p.  17)  and  xvii.  (conference  supp.  p.  72). 

See  also  the  paper  by  Dr  POOLE  referred  to  on  p.  44,  and  a  very 
useful  paper  by  him  on  Small  library  buildings,  in  Library  Journal, 
x.  (1885),  250. 

NOTE.  —  It  is  only  just  to  the  new  building  of  the  Boston  Public 
Library  to  say  that  its  stack,  having  solid  fire-proof  floors  at  every  level, 
is  free  from  the  objections  stated  on  page  44. 


CHAPTER   V 

CLASSIFICATION  AND   CATALOGUES 

Order  is  Heaven's  first  law. 

POPE. 
Have  you  a  catalogue  .  .  .  ? 

SHAKESPEARE. 

A  MONG  librarians  there  has  always  been  a  good 
•**•  deal  of  rather  profitless  discussion  of  classifica- 
tion, the  effort  being  to  devise  a  perfect  scheme  for 
use  in  all  libraries. 

Multitudes  of  schemes  have  been  contrived  which 
have  had  more  or  less  acceptance,  especially  with 
librarians  not  qualified  or  not  disposed  to  do  inde- 
pendent work  of  this  sort.  But  no  completely  satis- 
factory results  can  be  obtained  in  the  effort  to  apply 
to  an  individual  library  a  scheme  imported  from  with- 
out. Every  library  has  its  own  characteristics  and 
its  own  peculiar  needs  to  meet ;  and  the  classification 
proper  to  any  library  is  such  an  arrangement  of  its 
books  as  is  best  suited  to  its  own  circumstances  and 
requirements. 

All  the  classification  schemes  proceed  on  the  idea 
of  taking  the  whole  field  of  knowledge  as  the  unit, 
and  dividing  and  subdividing  it  by  some  logical  pro- 
cess, with  a  large  infusion  of  arithmetic  in  the  case 
of  the  decimal  systems  and  some  others.  They  are 
thus  quite  completely  theoretical,  and  in  practice  are 
too  rigid  and  mechanical  to  fit  the  natural  differen- 
tiation of  books  one  from  another ;  for  the  books 


Classification  and  Catalogues  53 

in  a  library  do  not  lend  themselves  to  such  a  process 
of  logical  subdivision.  Better  results  are  secured  by 
applying  an  adequate  knowledge  of  books,  and  an 
appreciation  of  the  needs  of  the  particular  library,  to 
making  an  arrangement  of  the  books  on  common- 
sense  principles. 

The  classification  schemes  usually  work  from  the 
general  '  subject '  down  through  subdivision.  A  sen- 
sible arrangement  of  books  develops  from  the  indi- 
vidual book  upward  by  a  succession  of  groupings. 
The  groups  thus  formed  are  placed  one  after  another 
in  any  order  that  seems  most  natural  under  the  cir- 
cumstances of  the  particular  library;  and  an  immense 
advantage  occurs  from  the  fact  that  there  is  no  attempt 
to  subordinate  minor  classes  to  more  general  ones, 
and  these  to  others,  as  happens  in  the  logical  classifica- 
tions. These  are  in  place  in  dealing  with  knowledge 
as  such,  in  laying  out  a  scheme  for  the  orderly  devel- 
opment of  a  library  intended  to  be  general,  but  are, 
for  practical  reasons,  out  of  place  in  the  arrangement 
of  the  books  in  the  library. 

For  small  libraries  not  exceeding  10,000  volumes,  a 
very  simple  arrangement  suffices  and  is  preferable 
to  one  more  elaborate. 

A  common  method  is  that  of  dividing  the  library 
into  ten  or  twelve  sections,  each  section  embracing 
the  books  in  one  general  department  of  literature. 
Following  is  a  good  scheme  of  classes  for  this 
purpose  :  — 

A.  Fiction. 

J.  Juvenile  books. 

B.  English  and  American  literature. 

C.  History. 

D.  Biography. 


54  Public  Libraries  in  America 

E.  Travels. 

F.  Science. 

G.  Useful  arts, 

H.     Fine  and  recreative  arts. 
I.      Political  and  social  science. 
K.     Philosophy  and  religion 

L.     Works  on  language  and  in  foreign  languages. 
R.     Reference   books    (generally  shelved   in   reading- 
room). 

As  the  library  increases  and  some  sections  seem  to 
require  subdivision,  it  can  easily  be  done  by  dividing 
the  numbers  in  a  class,  e.  g.,  assigning  to  ancient  his- 
tory numbers  i  to  100  in  class  C  ;  to  modern  European 
history,  numbers  101  to  300  ;  and  to  American  history, 
301  to  500,  or  by  making  more  minute  subdivisions, 
if  necessary.  By  means  of  much  less  painstaking 
in  this  arrangement  of  numbers  within  the  classes 
than  is  required  to  apply  a  more  elaborate  scheme 
of  classification,  a  library  can  be  satisfactorily  cared 
for  until  it  reaches  30,000  or  possibly  50,000  volumes. 
When  the  library  has  outgrown  such  a  system  and 
requires  a  more  definite  arrangement,  a  scheme  of 
classes  can  be  made  out  with  reference  to  the  books 
in  hand  and  to  those  likely  to  be  added.  If  for  any 
reason  the  library  is  to  be  specialized  in  one  subject, 
room  enough  for  that  subject  to  expand  indefinitely 
should  be  assigned,  not  only  on  the  shelves,  but  also 
in  the  catalogue  and  classification.  And  the  different 
classes  of  books  will  naturally  be  so  placed  in  the 
room  that  those  most  in  demand  will  be  most  conven- 
ient of  access,  and  others  in  proportion.  The  order 
of  classes  given  in  the  list  above  will  be  found  appli- 
cable to  the  ordinary  public  library,  beginning  with  A 
at  the  point  nearest  the  delivery  counter. 


Classification  and  Catalogues  55 

i 

In  the  appendix  is  given  a  longer  list  of  classes 
adapted  to  libraries  of  20,000  to  100,000  volumes, 
with  such  modifications  as  any  particular  case  may 
call  for.  This  list  is  an  '  eclectic '  one,  made  by 
comparing  and  digesting  the  subject-lists  of  several 
libraries,  and  is  perhaps  nearer  that  of  the  Chicago 
Public  Library  than  any  other.  It  is  not  offered 
as  a  list  to  be  adopted,  but  rather  to  afford  general 
guidance. 

As  intimated  above,  a  small  library  may  be  num- 
bered satisfactorily,  with  room  for  expansion,  by  simply 
numbering  the  books  in  each  class  consecutively,  the 
classes  being  designated  by  capital  letters  prefixed 
to  the  numbers. 

In  a  larger  library  with  more  subdivisions,  the 
classes  will  be  numbered,  and  the  class  number  pre- 
fixed to  the  book  number,  a  period  being  placed 
between  the  two.  In  some  classes,  as  in  fiction  and 
in  literature,  the  books  should  be  arranged  alpha- 
betically by  authors  :  in  biography  they  are  better 
arranged  alphabetically  by  the  subject,  so  that  all 
lives  of  the  same  person  will  be  together.  Where 
there  is  an  attempt  to  keep  the  books  in  these  classes 
in  strict  alphabetic  order,  making  all  additions  fall 
into  it,  the  inserted  books  may  receive  a  number  with 
a  letter  added,  169  a  following  169,  169  b  following 
that,  and  169  aa  going  between  169  a  and  169  b. 
There  are  devices  for  designating  books  by  marks 
other  than  numbers  to  secure  this  alphabetical  arrange- 
ment, of  which  the  Cutter  author- table  is  best  known 
and  most  used.  But  it  is  doubtful  whether  it  is  worth 
while  to  carry  out  the  alphabeting  to  so  extreme  a 
point  as  to  make  it  necessary  to  adopt  a  complicated 
system  of  book  marks. 


56  Public  Libraries  in  America 

On  the  whole  it  will  be  found  that  very  satisfactory 
results  can  be  obtained  by  the  method  of  leaving 
blocks  of  numbers  for  additional  books  where  they 
seem  to  be  needed,  and  inserting  lettered  numbers 
when  the  numbers  assigned  have  been  exhausted.1 

This  whole  matter  of  classification  in  libraries  has 
derived  artificial  and  factitious  value  in  recent  discus- 
sions, from  the  effort  to  make  classification  do  more 
than  can  be  expected  of  it.  For  example,  it  has  been 
said  that  a  library  should  be  so  classified  that  its  entire 
resources  on  a  certain  subject  may  be  found  on  a 
given  shelf  or  series  of  shelves,  and  that  a  library  so 
arranged  practically  catalogues  itself.  This  idea  has 
been  pushed  beyond  any  proper  application  of  it. 
For  to  one  who  undertakes  to  make  thorough  research 
on  any  subject  in  a  library,  it  soon  becomes  apparent 
that  very  much  of  the  best  material  is  not  separable 
from  the  collections  of  which  it  forms  a  part,  so  as  to 
be  put  on  the  shelf  assigned  to  that  subject. 

For  a  simple  illustration,  take  the  subject  of  Pauper- 
ism. If  a  certain  shelf  is  assigned  to  this  subject,  on  it 
may  be  found  two  or  three  volumes,  which  the  super- 
ficial reader  who  simply  follows  out  the  scheme  of  clas- 
sification as  a  guide  might  suppose  to  be  all  that  the 

1  What  has  been  said  here  about  the  numbering  of  books 
presupposes  a  '  relative '  or  '  movable  '  location  on  the 
shelves.  The  practice,  formerly  in  vogue,  of  numbering  the 
shelves  and  designating  the  books  as  belonging  on  particular 
shelves  has  been  generally  abandoned  in  favor  of  the  newer 
method,  which  is  to  have  the  book  marks  designate  simply  the 
relative  order  in  which  the  books  stand,  so  that  as  certain 
shelves  become  crowded  the  books  may  be  moved  along  from 
one  shelf  to  another  to  any  extent,  without  deranging  their 
numbers  at  all,  so  long  as  they  are  kept  in  the  same  order  of 
succession. 


Classification  and  Catalogues  57 

library  has.  But  it  is  certain  that  in  many  works  on 
general  Political  Economy,  and  in  others  likely  to  be 
classed  under  Charities  and  under  Population,  he  will 
find  much  of  service  to  him  ;  while  a  great  deal  more 
should  be  hunted  out  of  collected  works  of  certain 
authors,  articles  in  periodicals,  proceedings  of  socie- 
ties, etc.,  to  say  nothing  of  the  large  encyclopaedias. 
It  will  readily  be  seen  that  just  so  far  as  one  yields  to 
the  tendency  to  regard  the  classification  as  a  guide  to 
the  treasures  of  the  library,  he  will  be  narrowed  and 
dwarfed  in  his  work  of  research.  If,  on  the  other 
hand,  classification  cannot  be  depended  on  for  this 
purpose,  evidently  it  is  of  only  secondary  importance 
and  not  worthy  of  the  great  attention  it  sometimes 
receives.  Regarded  as  a  matter  secondary  to  good 
cataloguing  and  to  be  used  as  a  convenience  only, 
it  can  easily  be  disposed  of  on  principles  of  common- 
sense  and  local  utility  ;  and  the  ingenuity  and  skill  as 
well  as  the  time  often  expended  on  it  can  be  turned 
to  the  service  of  the  catalogue,  which  must  always  be 
the  chief  library  adjunct. 

Printed  catalogues  of  public  libraries  have  nearly 
had  their  day.  Formerly  no  library  was  thought  well 
equipped  which  had  not  issued  one.  But  when  it  was 
found  how  rapidly  supplements  must  be  issued  to 
keep  up  with  new  books,  and  how  soon  the  printed 
catalogue  became  a  '  back  number '  ;  and  when  the 
usefulness  of  such  a  catalogue  was  weighed  against  its 
cost,  serious  doubts  arose  as  to  the  value  of  this  sys- 
tem. The  more  common  practice  now  is  to  maintain 
good  written  catalogues,  kept  well  up  to  date,  and  to 
issue  occasionally,  temporary  and  cheaply  made  lists 
of  new  books,  or  of  works  in  special  classes.  The 
Boston  Public  Library  ceased  issuing  printed  cata- 


58  Public  Libraries  in  America 

logues  about  twenty  years  ago,  and  is  not  likely  to 
print  another.  The  same  may  be  said  of  the  Boston 
Athenaeum,  whose  catalogue,  issued  in  1871,  a  marvel 
of  fulness  and  accuracy,  cost  such  a  sum  of  money 
that  this  wealthy  institution  seemed  likely  to  be  im- 
poverished by  the  work  before  it  was  accomplished. 
The  withdrawal  of  such  large  sums  from  the  resources 
of  the  libraries,  and  their  diversion  from  the  purchase 
of  additional  books  to  the  production  of  elaborate  cata- 
logues whose  chief  value  must  disappear  after  a  few 
years,  is  at  least  a  questionable  policy. 

The  manuscript  catalogues  of  public  libraries  are 
now  nearly  always  -made  on  the  card- catalogue  plan. 
The  titles  of  the  books  are  written  on  separate  slips 
or  pieces  of  cardboard,  which  are  set  on  edge  in  alpha- 
betical order  in  drawers.  This  method  of  catalogu- 
ing is  now  so  nearly  universal  that  it  may  almost  be 
said  to  be  the  only  method  in  general  use.  The  sys- 
tem, at  first  restricted  to  library  use,  has  gained  wide 
acceptance  in  the  making  of  indexes  for  mercantile 
and  professional  uses,  and  has  come  to  be  recog- 
nized as  the  best  way  to  make  an  index  or  catalogue 
where  new  titles  must  constantly  be  introduced  in 
exact  alphabetical  order. 

The  method  used  in  the  British  Museum,  as  a  sub- 
stitute for  the  card  catalogue,  consists  in  writing  the 
titles  on  narrow  slips  of  paper  which  are  then  pasted 
(at  the  ends  only)  on  large  sheets  of  heavy  paper, 
secured  together  by  a  sort  of  movable  binding,  so  that 
additional  sheets  can  be  inserted  at  any  part  of  the 
alphabet.  When  the  slips  are  first  mounted  on  the 
sheets,  wide  spaces  are  left  for  additional  titles.  As 
these  spaces  are  filled,  the  slips  must  be  removed  and 
re-arranged.  This  method  of  cataloguing  has  been 


Classification  and  Catalogues  59 

very  sparingly  used  in  this  country,  the  New  York 
Y.  M.  C.  A.  Library  being  perhaps  the  only  one  adopt- 
ing it  to  any  considerable  extent. 

The  'Rudolph  Indexer,'  contrived  by  a  practical 
cataloguer  in  San  Francisco,  is  an  adaptation  of  the 
British  Museum  system.  The  slips  instead  of  being 
written  are  printed,  and  instead  of  being  pasted  on 
the  sheets  are  ingeniously  secured  by  insertion  in 
slots,  or  rather  under  folds  which  clip  their  ends,  so 
that  they  remain  as  placed,  but  can  easily  be  moved. 
For  the  sheets  of  heavy  paper  are  substituted  large 
pieces  of  cardboard,  and  these  are  not  secured  in 
volumes,  but  piled  in  a  box,  so  that  by  turning  a  crank 
they  pass  on  endless  chains  over  two  cylinders  at  the 
top,  where  they  are  exposed  under  glass,  six  large 
pages  being  in  view  at  once,  and  the  mechanism  ena- 
bling one  to  turn  over  the  pages  very  rapidly.  This 
invention  is  quite  new  and  seems,  to  meet  with  favor 
in  many  quarters,  being  by  some  thought  fit  to  super- 
sede the  card  catalogue,  though  this  is  doubtful 
except  for  certain  restricted  uses.  The  Rudolph  In- 
dexer is  also  made  in  book  form,  differing  from  the 
British  Museum  catalogue  only  in  the  use  of  various 
mechanical  devices,  by  which,  for  one  thing,  the  slips 
are  entirely  removable,  and  additional  matter  can  be 
constantly  inserted.  Mr  RUDOLPH  intends  to  make 
arrangements  to  furnish  libraries  with  printed  slips  for 
use  in  his  Indexer  at  such  rates  that  it  will  be  cheaper 
to  purchase  them  than  for  each  library  as  now  to  write 
its  own  titles. 

Another  substitute  for  the  card  catalogue  is  offered , 
in  the  system  long  in  vogue   at   the  library  of  the 
University  of  Leyden,  and  adopted  as  an  experiment 
a  few  years  ago  at  Harvard  College  Library.     By  this 


60  Public  Libraries  in  America 

system  the  titles  are  written  on  slips  differing  from 
ordinary  catalogue  cards  only  in  being  somewhat 
lighter  :  the  writing  is  allowed  to  extend  only  to  within 
an  inch  of  the  right-hand  end  of  the  slips.  These 
slips  are  clipped  at  the  right  in  a  movable  binding  so 
that  they  stand  on  shelves  as  volumes,  the  binding 
being  instantly  removable  for  the  addition  of  new 
slips. 

For  the  present  it  remains  true  that  the  card 
catalogue  arranged  in  drawers  is  the  accepted  form 
throughout  America.  The  accompanying  illustration 
shows  a  catalogue  case  of  the  most  approved  style 
and  with  all  necessary  fittings,  as  made  by  the  Library 
Bureau  of  Boston.  In  some  libraries  efforts  are  now 
making  to  obviate  in  part  the  disadvantages  of  these 
cases.  One  plan  is  to  use  large  trays  or  boxes  with 
lifting  lids  in  place  of  the  drawers,  all  arranged  on  one 
level,  covering  a  long  table  running  around  a  hollow 
square  in  a  room  devoted  to  this  use.  By  this  means 
a  large  number  of  persons  can  consult  the  catalogue 
at  one  time,  while  with  the  case  of  drawers  only  one 
or  two  persons  can  be  using  the  catalogue  at  once. 
Another  arrangement  adopted  where  there  is  lack  of 
room  for  spreading  the  catalogue  out,  is  to  use  smaller 
drawers  with  strong  handles,  the  drawers  to  be  taken 
from  their  places  for  consultation,  and  placed  on  a 
table  near  by,  enabling  the  user  to  sit  at  his  ease  while 
turning  the  cards,  and  to  secure  the  best  available 
light.  With  this  plan  in  use,  the  catalogue  case  may 
be  made  to  extend  from  near  the  floor  to  a  height  of 
six  feet  or  more,  thus  saving  a  great  deal  of  the  lateral 
extension  which  is  necessary  where  the  case  is  only 
three  or  four  drawers  in  height,  this  being  about  the 
limit  for  convenient  use  if  the  drawers  are  not  to  be 


<    Q 

y    g 


Classification  and  Catalogues  61 

removed.  All  card-catalogue  drawers  are  now  fitted 
with  rods  running  through  a  hole  punched  near  the 
lower  edge  of  the  cards,  and  so  secured  by  means  of 
a  lock  or  catch  as  to  prevent  the  removal  or  displace- 
ment of  the  cards. 

The  question  of  the  form  of  the  catalogue  being 
determined,  it  must  then  be  decided  how  full  and 
elaborate  it  shall  be  made.  One  entry  for  each  work 
described,  made  under  its  author's  name,  as  — 

SCOTT,  WALTER.   Ivanhoe.    London,  1851.   2vols.   8°. 
or  if  it  be  anonymous,  under  its  title,  as  — 
ENGLISHMAN  in  Paris,  An.     N.  Y.,  1892.     12°. 

or  if  it  have  neither  author  nor  distinctive  title  given, 
under  the  subject,  as  — 

MEXICO,  Three  weeks  in.  [Anon.]    Boston,  1856.    16°. 

—  such  single  entry  for  each  work  in  the  library  con- 
stitutes what  may  properly  be  regarded  as  its  complete 
catalogue,  using  the  word  in  its  strict  sense.  And 
until  recently  library  catalogues  did  not  undertake  to 
go  much  beyond  this. 

But  in  the  last  fifty  years  there  has  been  a  grow- 
ing tendency  to  add  other  features  to  those  strictly 
constituting  the  catalogue ;  and  subject  entries  have 
either  been  incorporated  in  the  same  alphabetical  list 
with  the  entries  by  authors,  or  put  together  in  a  sub- 
ject catalogue,  distinct  from  the  other.  What  is  called 
a  dictionary  catalogue  is  one  that  gives  these  dif- 
ferent entries  (under  author,  subject,  and  title),  com- 
bined in  one  alphabetical  arrangement.  In  many 
libraries  the  separate  subject  catalogue  is  preferred, 
and  it  seems:  to  be  a  question  of  individual  or  local 


62  Public  Libraries  in  America 

taste    and     preference    which    is    the    more    useful 
arrangement.2 

The  matter  of  subject  cataloguing  has  received 
more  attention  and  become  of  vastly  more  importance 
since  the  practice  of  making  'analytical'  references 
was  widely  adopted.  On  the  ground  that  a  small 
library  thoroughly  catalogued  is  worth  more  than  a 
much  larger  one  without  a  key  to  its  treasures,  many 
libmries  are  going  quite  extensively  into  analytical 
entries.  The  following  titles  show  how  these  different 
forms  of  entry  are  usually  made  :  — 

Author-entry.     BIRRELL,  A.    Obiter  dicta. 
Title-entry.     Obiter  dicta,  by  A.  BIRRELL. 
Subject-entry.   English  literature.   BIRRELL,  A.    Obiter 
dicta. 

Analytical*:  MILTON,  J.  BIRRELL,  A.  In  his  Obiter 
dicta. 

POPE,  ALEX.     BIRRELL,  A.    fn  his  Obiter  dicta. 
JOHNSON,  S.     BIRRELL,  A.     In  his  Obiter  dicta. 

2  The  catalogues  thus  far  spoken  of,  are  understood  to  be 
strictly  alphabetical,  whether  under  author,  title,  or  subject. 
The  'classified'  form  of  catalogue  finds  few  adherents  in  any 
claim  for  precedence  over  the  alphabetical.  But  for  many  uses, 
e.g.,  in  brief  printed  finding  lists,  bulletins  of  accessions,  etc., 
the  classified  form  is  preferable.  A  well-furnished  library  will 
have  in  its  shelf  or  class-lists  a  classified  catalogue,  which, 
either  as  a  whole  or  in  sections,  may  be  copied  for  use  as  a 
help  in  finding  books.  Class-lists  made  out  in  this  way  seem 
to  be  the  most  generally  acceptable  form  in  which  the  catalogue 
can  be  spread  out  in  the  delivery-room  to  assist  in  the  choice  of 
books  for  home  use.  By  a  combination  of  type-writer  and 
mimeograph,  these  lists  can  be  multiplied  neatly  and  expecli- 
tiously.  For  larger  libraries,  the  new  invention  known  as  the 
linotype  (=  line-otype,  each  line  being  one  type  cast  from 
type  metal)  seems  destined  to  be  very  useful,  as  it  may  be,  by 
combination  and  co-operation,  for  many  smaller  ones.  By  the 
linotype,  operated  similar  to  a  type-writer,  a  line  of  writing  is 
stamped  into  a  soft  substance  which  serves  as  a  mould,  from 


Classification  and  Catalogues  63 

The  making  of  analytical  entries  has  been  car- 
ried to  an  extreme  in  some  libraries,  the  different 
papers  in  the  Transactions  of  learned  societies  and 
very  many  similar  titles  receiving  separate  entry.  Be- 
fore the  publication  in  1882  of  the  enlarged  POOLE'S 
Index  to  Periodical  Literature,  many  libraries  were 
placing  in  their  catalogues  separate  entries  of  impor- 
tant articles  in  periodicals.  The  publication  of  the 
enlarged  '  Poole '  rendered  the  continuance  of  this 
work  unnecessary,  and  also  gave  rise  to  the  question 
why  other  classes  of  books  besides  periodicals,  if  worthy 
of  analytical  cataloguing,  could  not  better  be  included 
in  a  general  index,  which,  once  published,  would  save 
libraries  the  trouble  and  expense  of  doing  this  work 
in  manuscript  for  themselves.  By  the  same  sort  of 
co-operation  among  librarians  that  was  applied  to  the 
preparation  of  POOLE'S  Index,  the  '  A.  L.  A.'  [Ameri- 
can Library  Association]  Index  to  books  of  essays 
and  papers  has  lately  been  brought  out.  If  this  work 
is  kept  up,  as  is  intended,  by  the  issue  of  supplements 
from  time  to  time,  it  will  represent  the  transfer  of 
another  large  field  of  work  from  the  manuscript  cata- 
logue to  the  printed  index.  More  and  more  of  such 
indexes  and  of  bibliographies  of  special  subjects  will 
appear ;  and,  if  judiciously  used  and  availed  of.  will 
not  only  prevent  the  necessity  of  much  analytical  cata- 
loguing, but  will  be  found  more  useful  than  any  library 
catalogue  is  likely  to  be. 

which  each  line  is  then  cast  in  one  piece.  These  lines  can  then 
be  set  up  in  any  desired  order  and  printed  from  like  any 
stereotyped  page.  The  same  lines  may  be  re-arranged  and  used 
indefinitely  for  different  catalogues  ;  so  that  where  a  library  is 
supplied  with  the  titles  of  its  new  purchases  in  these  cast  lines, 
it  has  the  material  ready  for  printing  as  many  different  forms 
of  catalogues  or  lists  as  may  be  desired. 


64  Public  Libraries  in  America 

A  great  service  is  done  to  readers,  especially  to 
students  or  others  who  expect  to  write  on  a  given 
subject,  if  they  are  shown  a  fairly  good  exhibit 
of  the  existing  literature  of  the  subject.  For  this 
reason  and  for  others,  every  well-equipped  library 
will  have  a  good  collection  of  bibliographical  works. 
Their  use  is  threefold,  —  to  assist  in  the  selection 
of  books  for  purchase,  to  help  the  cataloguer,  and 
to  guide  readers  to  the  best  information.  All  per- 
sons using  a  library  with  any  serious  purpose  should 
be  familiar  with  these  helps  ;  and  the  librarian  should 
make  it  his  object  to  teach  readers  how  to  use 
them.  At  the  same  time  there  can  be  no  worse  error 
in  administering  a  library  for  the  public  good  than 
that  of  leaving  readers  to  grope  their  way  into  the 
use  of  an  elaborate  apparatus  of  catalogues,  indexes, 
and  bibliographies.  There  must  always  be  the  per- 
sonal friendly  aid  of  the  librarian  or  attendant  to  give 
to  the  library  that  atmosphere  of  kindly  helpfulness 
which  makes  the  visitor  at  home,  although  he  may  not 
be  '  to  the  manner  (of  libraries)  born.' 


As  to  classification,  the  author  would  refer  to  his  own  papers  on  the 
subject  in  the  Library  Journal,  vol.  xiv.,  and  to  EDWARDS'S  Memoirs 
of  Libraries,  as  there  quoted;  to  the  Library  Joiirnal,  passim,  this 
subject  having  been  constantly  under  discussion  in  its  pages ;  to  the 
U.  S.  Bureau  of  Education's  Report  on  Libraries,  1876.  From  the 
Library  Bureau,  Boston,  may  be  purchased  the  elaborate  schemes  of 
classification  of  DEWEY,  CUTTER,  and  others. 

For  the  subject  of  cataloguing,  the  files  of  the  Library  Journal 
and  the  U.  S.  Report  on  Libraries  must  again  be  referred  to.  Part 
ii.  of  this  Report  contains  CUTTER'S  Rules  for  making  a  dictionary 
catalogue,  which  represent  in  the  most  complete  and  compact  form 
possible  the  American  system  of  cataloguing,  in  which  regard  nearly 
all  our  public  libraries  are  mainly  agreed,  CUTTER'S  Rules  being  a 
record  of  what  was  already  agreed  upon  rather  than  a  code  newly 
formulated. 


JUSTIN    WINSOR 

LIBRARIAN    OF    HARVARD    UNIVERSITY 


CHAPTER  VI 

MINOR  DETAILS  OF  LIBRARY  MANAGEMENT 

Think  naught  a  trifle,  though  it  small  appear. 

YOUNG. 

"DESIDES  the  author  and  subject  catalogues,  alpha- 
*~  betical  or  classified,  two  other  forms  of  cata- 
logue are  needed,  —  the  accession- record  and  the 
shelf-list  or  class-list.  The  accession-book  preserves 
a  record  of  the  books  in  the  order  of  their  acquisi- 
tion and  gives  details  as  to  how  obtained,  price  paid, 
etc.,  serving  from  the  mercantile  side  as  an  invoice- 
book  and  preserving  a  historical  record  of  the  library. 
The  entry  of  books  in  this  record  is  the  first  one  to  be 
made. 

The  shelf- list  or  class-list  records  the  titles  in 
the  order  in  which  the  books  stand  on  the  shelves, 
and  is  necessary  as  a  check-list  by  which  to  exam- 
ine the  library  to  detect  losses,  and  keep  the  books 
in  due  order.  It  might  seem  that  this  system  calls 
for  too  much  detailed  work,  and  comes  under  the 
heading  of  '  red-tape.'  But  it  will  be  found  that 
in  the  long  run,  in  a  matter  requiring  so  much  of 
detail  as  the  care  of  a  library,  work  will  be  saved  by 
a  systematic  attention  to  these  matters,  the  neglect  of 
which  leads  to  confusion  and  loss.1 

1  It  is  desirable  that  a  certain  amount  of  thorough-going 
system  be  applied  to  a  small  library  for  the  sake  of  its  future. 
Nothing  is  more  common  than  for  a  library  which  has  attained 
5 


66  Public  Libraries  in  America 

All  books  received  by  a  library  should  be  collated 
to  see  that  they  are  complete  and  correct  copies. 
Enough  imperfections  will  be  found  and  corrected  to 
compensate  for  the  work.  Library  labels  should  be 
carefully  and  neatly  pasted  on  the  inside  of  the 
cover,  and  on  them  should  be  written  all  needed 
numbers  and  marks.  The  preservation  of  books  from 
defacement  is  a  matter  of  so  much  consequence  that 
the  library  itself  ought  at  least  to  set  the  example 
of  leaving  the  titlepage  free  from  ink  marks  or  stamps. 
An  embossed  stamp  neatly  put  on  is  all  that  the  title- 
page  need  receive. 

Books  going  into  large  circulation,  especially  in 
manufacturing  communities  where  they  are  likely  to  be 
much  soiled,  ought  to  be  covered  with  paper,  which 
should  be  renewed  as  often  as  necessary  to  keep  them 
looking  tidy.  It  is  not  common  now,  as  it  was 
formerly,  to  cover  all  library  books. 

The  ingenuity  applied  to  library  work  has  pro- 
duced methods  of  keeping  account  of  loans  much 
superior  to  those  used  a  generation  ago.  The  most 
convenient  and  satisfactory  one  is  that  by  which 
each  book  is  furnished  with  a  card  bearing  its  num- 
ber and  title.  This  is  kept  in  the  volume  when  on 
the  shelf ;  and  when  the  book  is  taken  out,  the  card  is 
marked  with  the  borrower's  number  and  the  date,  and 
kept  in  a  box,  where  the  cards  all  stand  on  edge, 
arranged  for  each  day  in  numerical  order,  the  days 
being  separated  in  the  box  by  movable  partitions. 
As  books  are  returned  the  cards  are  replaced  in  them, 
and  at  the  end  of  two  weeks  (or  whatever  is  the  time 

considerable  size  to  be  deficient,  greatly  to  the  regret  of  its 
supporters,  in  the  early  records  needed  to  make  its  history 
complete. 


Minor  Details  of  Library  Management    67 

for  which  books  maybe  kept),  the  books  represented 
by  the  cards  remaining  in  the  compartment  of  a  cer- 
tain date  are  known  to  be  overdue,  and  may  be 
sent  for  by  post-card  notice.  To  this  advantage  of 
a  self- registry  of  overdue  books  is  to  be  added  that 
of  the  comparative  ease  with  which  it  can  be  learned 
at  once  who  has  any  book  which  is  out.*  This 
method  of  charging  books,  or  some  modification  of 
it,  is  in  use  in  nearly  all  progressive  libraries,  and  is 
to  be  recommended  in  its  simplest  form  for  the  small- 
est ones.  It  has  the  general  features  of  the  Ameri- 
can baggage-checking  system,  and  is  as  superior  to 
the  ledger-account  method  as  that  system  is  to  the 
happy-go-lucky  way  of  dealing  with  '  luggage  '  on 
European  railways. 


See  the  U.  S.  Report  on  Libraries,  1876,  already  referred  to,  espe- 
cially the  paper  by  Dr  POOLE,  on  the  Organisation  and  Management 
of  Public  Libraries,  p.  476  of  that  volume.  Also  numerous  articles 
in  the  Library  Journal,  passim. 

In  Appendix  VI    will  be  found  a  suitable  code  of  library  regulations. 

*  Note  to  zd  edition.  —  This  is  a  matter  of  considerable  im- 
portance, but  one  which  has  been  largely  overlooked.  Readers 
are  generally  expected  to  be  satisfied  with  the  statement  that 
the  desired  book  '  is  out.'  But  if  one  can  be  told  who  has  the 
book  he  can  often  secure  its  transfer  to  himself  sooner  than  if 
he  must  take  his  chances  at  the  library. 


CHAPTER  VII 

SELECTION  AND  PURCHASE   OF  BOOKS 

.  .  .  Lord  help  us  in  this  flood 
Of  daily  papers,  books,  and  magazines. 
R.  LEIGHTON. 

'  I AHE  selection  of  books  for  a  library  must  depend 
•*•  very  largely  on  circumstances,  such  as  the 
amount  of  funds  available,  the  scope  of  the  plan  on 
which  the  library  is  founded,  the  kind  of  community 
to  be  served,  and  the  neighborhood  of  other  libraries 
of  a  general  or  special  character.  But  it  is  always 
true  that  the  selection  should  be  carefully  guarded, 
and  conducted  with  a  view  to  the  usefulness  of  the 
library. 

Other  considerations  too  often  govern.  Some- 
times the  work  of  selection  is  allowed  to  pass  into 
the  hands  of  some  one  who  is  supposed  to  be  com- 
petent because  he  is  a  book-fancier,  possibly  some- 
thing of  a  bibliomaniac,  but  who  fills  the  library 
with  books  which  constitute  it  a  literary  museum, 
rather  than  a  literary  laboratory  or  workshop.  The 
pet  phrase  of  the  bookseller,  '  a  book  without  which 
no  library  is  complete,'  is  given  too  much  weight, 
and  a  long  list  of  '  standard '  works  is  ordered  with- 
out its  being  perceived  that  they  were  the  stand- 
ards of  yesterday,  and  have  become  the  dead  stock 
of  to-day.  A  library  which  is  the  only  one  for  a 
given  community,  and  whose  resources  are  small, 


Selection  and  Purchase  of  Books          69 

demands  the  utmost  care  that  money  is  not  wasted 
by  being  put  into  books  which  are  not  the  best  of 
their  kind  to-day,  —  books  once  famous  and  whose 
titles  are  familiar  as  household  words,  but  which  have 
been  superseded.  The  story  is  told  of  a  distinguished 
professor  who,  on  being  asked  by  the  librarian  of  his 
university  what  books  might  be  set  aside  in  his  scien- 
tific department  to  make  room  for  new  ones,  replied, 
'  All  that  are  more  than  ten  years  old.'  The  prog- 
ress of  knowledge  in  many  departments  is  now  so 
rapid  that  the  best  books  sometimes  become  obso- 
lete in  a  few  years,  and  it  is  almost  a  work  of  genius 
to  determine  which  of  to-day's  books  are  worth  pre- 
serving for  to-morrow's  use. 

Again,  there  is  often  a  disposition  on  the  part  of 
librarians  and  committees  to  make  the  library  grow  as 
rapidly  as  possible  in  the  number  of  volumes,  so  that 
purchases  are  made  rather  with  reference  to  seeing  how 
many  volumes  can  be  bought  for  a  certain  sum  than 
with  a  view  to  wise  selection.  The  annual  reports  of  li- 
braries are  apt  to  dwell  with  pride  on  the  number  of 
volumes  added,  and  this  is  quite  commonly  accepted 
as  a  fair  test  of  the  real  life  and  value  of  a  library. 
Nothing  could  well  be  farther  from  a  correct  standard, 
as  will  be  clear  enough  from  the  reductio  ad  absurdum 
of  the  principle.  For  example,  books  can  be  bought, 
even  most  of  the  classics  of  the  English  language,  for 
a  few  cents  per  volume,  so  that  the  average  cost  of  the 
additions  to  a  library  might  be  kept  down  to  less  than 
a  half  dollar  a  volume,  if  that  were  made  the  ruling 
principle.  But  no  one  is  willing  to  put  such  books 
into  a  public  library.  There  is  sufficient  healthfulness 
in  the  public  taste  to  make  it  demand  that  the  library 
have  better  editions  than  the  cheapest.  May  it  not 


7O  Public  Libraries  in  America 

be  in  the  line  of  a  wise  education  of  the  public  taste 
to  choose  for  the  library  only  well-printed  and  well- 
bound  books,  and  to  make  more  of  the  quality  of  the 
additions  than  of  their  mere  quantity?  When  I  am 
asked  by  a  library  director  how  many  volumes  he 
ought  to  buy  for  every  $1,000  expended,  I  tell  him 
there  is  no  standard  on  which  a  reply  can  properly  be 
based. 

Except  as  a  circulating  library  derives  benefit  from 
having  a  large  number  of  books,  so  that  more  read- 
ers may  be  served  at  one  time,  it  may  well  be  held 
that  expensive  books  are  generally  better  worth  their 
cost  than  cheap  ones.  The  public  library  is  doing 
its  best  work  when  it  is  teaching  people  to  respect 
and  to  love  books.  To  issue  to  its  readers  cheap 
and  trashily  made  books  is  to  invert  its  true  mis- 
sion and  to  degrade,  instead  of  ennobling,  literature  in 
the  eyes  of  its  patrons.  As  people  should  handle 
books  carefully  and  treat  them  always  with  consider- 
ation, there  can  be  no  better  way  to  bring  this  about 
than  to  put  into  their  hands  books  worthy  of  respect. 

A  shrewd  professor  once  said  that  he  never  did 
anything  more  promotive  of  discipline  in  his  class 
than  putting  a  good  carpet  on  the  recitation-room 
floor.  Instead  of  the  boys  spoiling  the  carpet,  the 
carpet  renovated  the  boys.  So  it  will  be  with  well- 
made  and  attractive  books.  Library  books  ought  for 
this  reason  to  be  kept  in  as  good  repair  as  possible, 
and  when  hopelessly  worn  out  or  fallen  to  pieces  they 
should  be  replaced  by  other  copies,  and  in  many  cases 
by  other  books. 

To  return  to  the  matter  of  selecting  books,  —  it 
may  be  well  to  add  a  caution  against  carrying  too 
far  the  principle  of  choosing  new  books  rather  than 


Selection  and  Purchase  of  Books          71 

old.  Outside  the  scientific  and  historical  depart- 
ments, that  is  to  say  in  the  domain  of  pure  literature, 
the  disposition  to  read  only  the  new  books  is  to  be 
deprecated  and  discouraged.  The  public  library 
ought  not  to  pander  to  a  perverted  Athenianism, 
demanding  '  some  new  thing ' ;  but  as  against  the 
literary  bubbles  of  the  day,  it  ought  to  represent  the 
accumulated  wealth  of  the  literature  of  the  past,  and 
exert  an  influence  to  win  readers  away  from  mere 
newness  and  acquaint  them  with  the  masters  of  thought 
and  style.  Those  who  are  charged  with  the  selection 
of  books  ought  therefore  to  be  competent  to  plan 
wisely  for  the  building  up  of  the  library  in  genuine 
literature  from  all  sources.  Care  must  always  be  taken 
not  to  fill  a  library  with  '  good  books '  which  nobody 
will  read ;  at  the  same  time  the  library  must  go  before 
the  demands  of  the  people,  and  create  a  taste  and 
desire  for  that  which  it  supplies. 

Every  public  library  should  encourage  its  readers 
to  make  application  for  the  purchase  of  books  not  in 
the  library,  by  providing  blanks  for  that  purpose,  and 
paying  courteous  attention  to  all  requests,  making 
explanations  when  they  are  not  granted,  and  in  such 
case  directing  the  applicant  to  other  books  of  equal 
or  greater  value,  when  possible.  . 

The  purchase  of  books  is  best  managed  if  either 
the  librarian  or  some  other  officer  is  exclusively  charged 
with  the  work,  under  the  general  direction  of  the  trus- 
tees or  of  a  library  committee.  New  books  may  be 
obtained  '  on  approval '  and  placed  before  the  com- 
mittee ;  but  to  act  intelligently  on  them  the  committee 
need  the  advice  of  a  person  acquainted  with  litera- 
ture and  with  the  book  market.  This  should  be  the 
librarian,  but  in  some  cases  may  be  one  of  the  library 
committee. 


72  Public  Libraries  in  America 

Libraries  can  generally  do  better  by  employing  a 
bookseller  or  purchasing  agent  than  by  dealing  with 
publishers.  In  many  places  a  local  bookseller  may  be 
able  to  handle  the  library's  business  satisfactorily ;  but 
in  the  smaller  towns,  the  library  will  be  best  served 
by  dealing  with  a  metropolitan  agent,  even  at  quite  a 
distance. 

No  library  of  any  considerable  size  should  miss  the 
opportunities  of  buying  certain  books  cheap  which  are 
offered  by  the  auctions  constantly  occurring  in  the 
large  cities.  Many  very  desirable  books,  some  new, 
may  be  bought  at  these  auctions  for  less  than  half- 
price  ;  and  their  catalogues  ought  to  be  scanned  in 
the  interest  of  every  public  library.  Purchases  can 
generally  be  made  at  these  sales  through  the  auc- 
tioneer without  expense,  thus  saving  the  necessity 
of  personal  attendance. 

In  like  manner,  catalogues  issued  by  booksellers 
ought  to  be  looked  over  to  pick  out  the  few  items 
of  special  interest  to  the  particular  library.  By  con- 
stant watch  of  the  book -market  and  taking  advan- 
tage of  favorable  opportunities,  libraries  can  best  be 
strengthene'd  in  any  desired  specialties,  with  not  over 
one  half  the  expense  that  an  out-and-out  order  for 
the  needed  books  would  be  likely  to  involve. 


CHAFFER  VIII 

KEFERENCE-WORK.  THE  PUBLIC  LIBRARY  IN 
RELATION  TO  THE  SCHOOLS,  TO  UNIVER- 
SITY EXTENSION,  ETC. 

Life  thrills  along  the  alcoved  hall, 
The  lords  of  thought  awake  our  call. 
WHITTIER. 

T^  VERY  public  library  should  be  a  library  of  refer- 
^-*  ence,  or,  to  use  the  term  which  President  OILMAN 
proposes  as  a  substitute,  a  '  library  of  study.'  Impor- 
tant as  it  may  be  in  many  communities,  the  supplying 
of  books  for  home-reading  must  not  be  regarded  as 
the  only  function  of  the  library. 

A  good  collection  of  books  will  attract  increasingly 
people  who  are  pursuing,  or  who  wish  to  pursue,  the 
study  of  various  subjects  requiring  a  more  free  and 
ready  use  of  the  books  than  is  possible  by  drawing 
them  from  the  library  one  after  another.  To  the 
professional  scholars  in  the  community  must  nowadays 
be  added  the  pupils  in  the  common  schools,  mem- 
bers of  reading  circles  and  literary  clubs,  persons 
attending  University  Extension  lectures,  and  many 
others,  to  indicate  the  constituency  of  the  '  reference  ' 
department  of  a  library. 

And  just  in  proportion  as  a  library  is  so  adminis- 
tered as  to  encourage  and  stimulate  the  demands  of 
all  these  classes,  will  it  be  accomplishing  its  highest 
mission.  To  this  end  certain  things  should  be  done. 
In  the  first  place,  as  already  suggested,  the  building 
itself  should  facilitate  this  reference  work.  A  read- 


74  Public  Libraries  in  America 

ing-room,  well  lighted  and  ventilated,  supplied  with 
convenient  tables  and  comfortable  chairs,  and  kept 
quiet  and  orderly  is  the  first  requisite.  In  this  con- 
nection it  may  be  well  to  advise  placing  in  the  read- 
ing-room a  certain  number  of  small  tables,  each 
calculated  to  furnish  a  place  for  one  person  to  work 
with  that  privacy  which  is  marred  when  several  occupy 
the  same  table.  A  long  table  divided  into  stalls,  such 
as  is  used  in  the  British  Museum,  answers  this  pur- 
pose measurably  where  room  cannot  be  allowed  for  the 
separate  tables ;  but  the  latter  arrangement  is  prefer- 
able where  space  is  abundant. 

The  proper  lighting  of  reading  tables  for  evening 
use  is  a  matter  of  considerable  importance.  Whether 
gas  or  electric  light  be  used,  table  lamps  are  essential. 
A  moderate  amount  of  diffused  light  should  be  se- 
cured by  the  use  of  chandeliers  ;  but  to  supply  strong 
light  close  at  hand  for  reading  and  study,  small  lamps 
are  needed  at  the  right  distance  above  the  table  and 
well  shaded.  The  incandescent  electric  lamp  is  the 
best  possible  light  for  the  purpose,  chiefly  for  the 
reason  that  it  radiates  only  a  very  small  amount  of 
heat.  The  heating  of  the  head  while  leaning  over  a 
table  reading  is  a  fruitful  source  of  serious  illness,  and 
every  possible  precaution  should  be  taken  against  it. 
To  secure  these  table  lights,  the  gas-pipe  or  electric 
wires  (better  both  to  prepare  for  emergencies)  should 
be  brought  up  through  the  floor  under  each  table,  and 
taken  up  on  one  leg  of  the  table  to  its  top,  where 
they  may  be  brought  through  at  any  point  desired  for 
placing  the  lights.  The  initial  expense  of  this  arrange- 
ment is  soon  saved  in  the  smaller  amount  of  light 
required,  as  compared  with  any  system  of  illumination 
by  diffused  light  from  overhead. 


Reference-Work  75 

The  best  method  of  heating  a  reading-room  is  by 
steam  or  hot  water  radiators  placed  at  the  sides  of  the 
room  (not  in  the  middle),  under  windows  wherever 
possible.  When  practicable  there  should  be  a  fire- 
place, with  a  slow  fire  generally  burning.  With  the 
radiators  placed  under  the  windows,  and  provision 
for  letting  in  a  small  amount  of  fresh  air  near  each, 
this  will  secure  excellent  ventilation  without  elaborate 
apparatus  for  the  purpose ;  while  the  fire  on  the 
hearth,  with  some  easy-chairs  about  it,  will  do  much 
to  make  the  room  homelike  and  attractive. 

When  it  can  be  so  arranged,  a  competent  attendant 
should  have  a  desk  in  the  reading-room ;  and  while 
doing  regular  work  at  cataloguing  or  otherwise,  he 
should  be  ready  at  all  times  to  give  help  to  the 
readers  in  finding  desired  information,  and  to  repress 
all  disorder  and  noise,  the  bane  of  many  such  rooms. 

A  general  reading-room  should  be  well  supplied 
with  reference  books,  in  the  selection  of  which  there  is 
opportunity  for  a  great  deal  of  intelligent  painstaking. 
The  leading  encyclopaedias,  dictionaries,  and  atlases 
should  be  supplemented  by  the  best  encyclopaedic 
works  devoted  to  special  branches,  as  music,  the  fine 
arts,  mechanics,  chemistry,  geography,  political  econ- 
omy, statistics,  classical  and  Biblical  literature  and 
antiquities,  biography,  etc.,  and  by  the  best  annuals, 
readers'  manuals,  books  of  quotations,  and  other  books 
of  miscellaneous  information.  In  some  cases  it  will 
be  well  to  have  the  most  used  bound  sets  of  periodi- 
cals also  in  the  reading-room,  the  periodical  indexes 
being  at  hand  to  direct  the  reader.  Many  libraries 
keep  duplicate  files  of  a  few  leading  periodicals  in 
order  to  have  one  set  in  the  reading-room,  while  the 
other  is  available  for  circulation. 


76  Public  Libraries  in  America 

An  admirable  feature  of  some  public  libraries  is  a 
large  table  in  the  reading-room  supplied  with  illus- 
trated papers  and  books  of  pictures  to  attract  young 
and  illiterate  people.  By  furnishing  them  with  some- 
thing they  can  enjoy  and  appreciate,  they  may  grad- 
ually be  led  to  the  use  of  more  instructive  literature. 

It  may  seem  to  make  but  little  difference  whether 
all  these  reference  books  are  placed  on  open  shelves 
in  the  reading-room,  or  kept  in  the  book  room  and 
given  out  freely  to  readers ;  but  there  is  a  great  advan- 
tage in  the  open  shelves,  in  that  readers  having  free 
access  to  these  books  become  better  acquainted  with 
them,  and  sooner  come  to  understand  their  different 
purposes  and  uses  ;  and  in  a  word,  acquire  that  facility 
in  consulting  reference  books  which  is  essential  to 
success  in  any  literary  work.  In  addition  to  all  the 
matter  that  is  placed  in  the  reading-room,  great 
freedom  should  be  allowed  in  drawing  books  from  the 
library  for  use  in  that  room,  so  that  any  reader  may 
supplement  the  brief  article  on  his  subject  in  the 
encyclopaedia  or  periodical,  with  the  fuller  treatment 
in  some  special  work  to  be  found  in  the  library. 

But  when  every  possible  facility  has  been  furnished 
for  reading-room  use  of  books,  a  well-ordered  library 
must  go  farther  and  admit  readers  (at  least,  such  as 
are  genuinely  engaged  in  study  and  research)  to  its 
shelves,  where,  under  proper  restrictions,  they  may 
look  over  the  books  on  a  given  subject  and  not  be 
confined  to  the  narrow  range  imposed  by  the  limita- 
tions of  reading-room  use.  Nothing  short  of  this  is 
satisfactory  to  one  who  wishes  to  know  thoroughly  the 
available  literature  of  his  subject ;  and  there  seems  to 
be  no  good  reason  why  this  liberty  should  not  be 
granted  to  proper  applicants,  unless  indeed  the  library 
is  so  '  stored  '  away  that  such  use  is  impossible. 


Reference-  Work  77 

This  subject  of  study  in  the  library  suggests  the 
kindred  one  of  the  relation  of  the  public  library  to  edu- 
cational institutions,  especially  to  the  common  schools. 
The  marked  change  in  educational  methods  in  the 
last  score  of  years,  whereby  teachers  look  less  to  the 
textbook  and  more  to  general  sources  of  information 
in  such  branches  as  history  and  the  natural  sciences, 
has  led  to  a  high  appreciation  of  the  value  of  the 
public  libraries  to  the  schools,  and  to  a  demand  on  the 
libraries  for  special  privileges  for  both  teachers  and 
scholars  in  the  use  of  the  books.  Most  libraries  have 
been  ready  to  meet  teachers  half-way  in  this  matter 
and  grant  such  requests,  by  providing  additional  copies 
of  the  books  most  wanted  in  the  schools,  and  allow- 
ing an  extra  number  of  volumes  to  be  taken,  with  an 
extension  of  the  time  for  which  they  may  be  kept.  In 
other  cases,  classes  from  the  schools  have  been  re- 
ceived at  the  library  and  given  lessons  by  the  libra- 
rian in  the  use  of  books.  In  the  public  library  of 
Brookline,  Massachusetts,  and  perhaps  elsewhere,  pro- 
vision is  made  for  the  habitual  use  of  the  library 
by  school  children,  a  room  being  set  aside  for  their 
use,  with  a  special  attendant  during  the  hours  when 
the  children  are  out  of  school. 

Public  libraries  have  also  been  ready  in  most  cases 
to  aid  the  work  of  reading  circles  and  other  home 
culture  organizations  by  furnishing  books  required,  and 
giving  guidance  in  their  use.  Courses  of  lectures 
often  have  their  usefulness  greatly  increased  by  the 
co-operation  of  the  library  in  furnishing  in  advance 
lists  of  books  on  the  respective  subjects,  and  so 
promoting  an  intelligent  hearing. 

University  Extension  finds  in  the  public  library  its 
chief  ally.  Indeed,  the  first  regular  course  of  such 


78  Public  Libraries  in  America 

lectures  given  in  this  country  was  one  arranged  by, 
and  held  under  the  auspices  of,  the  Buffalo  Library. 
As  these  lectures  aim  to  give  instruction  after  univer- 
sity methods,  the  use  of  suitable  books  is  essential,  so 
that  in  England  and  to  some  extent  in  this  country, 
the  lecturers  have  organized  '  travelling  libraries  '  to 
go  with  them  from  place  to  place. 

The  Extension  lecture  given  in  connection  with 
the  free  use  of  a  competent  library  seems  to  be  the 
ideal  '  university  of  the  people.'  The  lecture  with- 
out the  '  laboratory  work '  of  the  library  is  likely  to 
be  comparatively  profitless,  and,  on  the  other  hand, 
tiie  mere  reading  of  books  cannot  give  the  quickening 
and  stimulating  influence  needed  to  furnish  real  educa- 
tion. The  '  Lyceum  lecture '  system  of  the  middle 
of  this  century  constituted  one  of  these  agencies  car- 
ried wellnigh  to  perfection,  accomplishing  much  in 
the  way  of  popular  culture  ;  while  the  public  libraries 
which  seem  so  largely  to  have  grown  from  that  system 
make  up  the  other  agency,  in  its  turn  contributing 
largely  to  the  same  end.  University  Extension  seems 
to  offer  a  happy  combination  of  the  two,  affording  a 
culture  at  once  more  thorough  than  that  which  the  lec- 
ture provides,  and  more  vital  and  effective  than  that 
gained  from  books  alone. 

It  may  yet  be  generally  recognized  that  even 
CARLYLE'S  remark  that  '  the  university  of  the  future 
is  a  great  collection  of  books '  blinked  the  lead- 
ing factor  in  all  education,  the  personal  teacher.  If 
he  meant  that  in  the  higher  branches  the  services 
of  the  teacher  can  be  dispensed  with,  his  remark 
remains  of  very  doubtful  truth.  The  student  in  any 
department  whose  teachers  all  speak  through  the 
printed  page  only,  may  in  exceptional  cases  become  a 


Reference-  Work  79 

complete  and  thorough  scholar,  but  the  estimate  which 
the  world  puts  upon  the  '  self-made  man  '  will  gen- 
erally apply  well  to  the  self-directed  and  self-inspired 
reader. 

This,  however,  is  not  the  place  to  discuss  a  theme 
so  difficult  as  that  of  the  relative  value  of  teacher  and 
library;  but  the  writer  could  not  do  justice  to  his 
own  convictions  without  protesting  against  an  undue 
estimate  of  the  value  to  the  publte  of  an  unlimited 
supply  of  books  to  read,  —  such  an  estimate  as  leads 
to  the  expectation  that  by  this  means  the  people  are 
to  be  educated.  He  desires  to  put  the  reading  of 
books  in  its  proper  place  in  connection  with  all  truly 
educational  work,  —  the  place  of  an  adjunct  and 
not  that  of  the  principal  factor.  It  is  honor  enough 
for  the  public  library  to  claim  that  it  should  serve  as 
an  efficient  adjunct  to  the  educative  work  of  the  home, 
the  school,  the  church,  and  the  lecture  system,  making 
that  work  broader  and  deeper  and  more  effective,  and 
providing  the  means  by  which  it  may  be  prolonged 
beyond  the  school  and  college  age,  and  made  to 
reach  the  multitudes  whose  school  life  ceased  early,  if, 
indeed,  it  ever  began. 


GREEN:   Libraries  and  Schools,  New  York.  1883. 

FOSTER  :  Libraries  and  Readers,  New  York,  1883. 

ADAMS  :  '  Fiction  in  Public  Libraries,  and  Educational  Catalogues,' 
Library  Journal,  iv.  (1879),  330. 

HEWINS:  'How  to  make  the  most  of  a  small  Library,'  Library 
Journal,  xi.  (1886),  305. 

Numerous  other  articles  in  the  Library  Journal  are  also  of  great 
value. 


CHAPTER   IX 

THE  LIBRARIAN:   HIS  WORK   AND  HIS  TRAIN- 
ING FOR  IT 

I  hold  every  man  a  debtor  to  his  pro- 
fession ...  to  be  a  help  and  ornament 
thereto.  BACON. 

T  IBRARIANSHIP  is  not  one  of  the  recognized 
*— '  learned  professions  ;  in  fact  it  is  but  just  begin- 
ning to  be  acknowledged  as  something  more  than  a 
function,  for  the  exercise  of  which  any  fairly  educated 
or  even  ordinarily  intelligent  person  is  quite  competent. 
So  recent  is  the  change  in  this  respect  that  most  of  the 
men  are  still  living  who  by  the  devotion  of  rare 
talents  and  public-spirited  zeal  to  this  work  have 
proved  its  capabilities.  Their  names,  living  or  dead, 
constitute  the  honor-roll  of  librarianship.  Among  the 
departed,  PANIZZI  in  England,  and  JEWETT,  LLOYD 
SMITH,  and  NOYES  in  America  should  be  '  held  in 
everlasting  remembrance.' 

These  men  have  made  it  clear  that  jjibrarianship  is 
essentially  a  public  service,  and  that  only  those  con- 
spicuous for  service  rendered  to  the  public  can  be 
called  successful.  The  same  is  true  of  the  recognized 
professions,  as  it  is  not  true  of  the  ordinary  pursuits 
of  men  by  which  a  living  is  gained.  It  has  lately 
been  said  by  a  prominent  novelist  ;that  literary  work 
(at  least  novel- writing)  is  done  '  first  of  all,  to  earn 


AINSWORTH    RAND    SPOFFORD 


The  Librarian:  His   Work  and  Training    81 

money.'  One  may  beg  to  differ  from  the  statement 
as  a  matter  of  fact  in  the  case  of  authors ;  but  how- 
ever it  may  be  with  novel-writing,  it  is  certain  that 
no  one  will  make  a  success  of  librarianship  whose 
purpose  is  'first  of  all,  to  earn  money.'  Thus  far 
the  pecuniary  rewards  in  this  line  of  work  have  been 
but  scanty,  and  only  those  who  have  thought  more  of 
things  other  than  these  rewards  have  been  attracted 
to  it. 

The  qualifications  needed  to  make  a  first-rate  libra- 
rian are  various.  In  some  libraries  one  kind  of  man 
may  succeed,  while  in  others  a  very  different  sort  is 
required.  But  for  the  ordinary  public  library,  doing  the 
work  indicated  in  these  pages,  it  is  evident  that  a  libra- 
rian must  be  both  a  scholar  and  a  person  of  executive 
ability  ;  enough  of  a  book-worm  to  have  a  decided  taste 
and  fondness  for  books,  and  at  the  same  time  not  enough 
to  be  a  recluse  and  to  lose  sympathy  with  the  stand- 
point of  those  who  know  little  of  books.  The  librarian 
needs  to  be  a  person  of  general  and  genuine  culture, 
versed  as  much  as  possible  in  all  departments  of 
literature  and  science.  The  classification  and  cata- 
loguing of  books  require  a  certain  amount  of  knowl- 
edge of  their  subject-matter  in  its  relations  with 
other  fields  to  secure  proper  adjustments.  The  same 
wide  knowledge,  not  only  of  book-titles  but  also 
of  the  contents  of  books  and  their  bearing  on  the 
general  subject  of  which  they  may  treat  some  special 
phase,  is  required  in  giving  assistance  to  readers  and 
in  making  the  library  useful  to  all  classes  of  the 
community. 

A  librarian  may  be  a  specialist  in  some  direction, 
but  in  his  library  work  he  should  not  appear  so ;  he 
should  rather  manifest  that  enthusiastic  interest  in 
6 


82  Public  Libraries  in  America 

all  branches  of  knowledge  which  will  appeal  to  all 
specialists.  This  is  likely  to  come  from  experience  in 
library  work  coupled  with  an  ardent  interest  in  it  rather 
than  from  anything  else.  To  begin  with,  one  needs  a 
well-ordered  mind  and  a  good  stock  of  general  infor- 
mation ;  also  to  be  imbued  with  a  real  missionary 
spirit  to  serve  as  an  impetus  in  the  growth  sure  to 
follow. 

As  to  literary  and  linguistic  attainments,  the  libra- 
rian cannot  be  too  richly  furnished,  provided  these 
attainments  do  not  serve,  as  is  sometimes  the  case,  to 
separate  him  from  the  common  sort  of  people  to 
whose  wants  he  must  minister.  At  least  a  college 
education,  the  young  librarian  should  have  had,  unless 
the  same  years  have  been  spent  in  library  work  with 
opportunities  for  study,  and  those  improved  to  the 
utmost.  An  ignorant  librarian  is  a  contradiction  in 
terms.  Knowledge  of  the  languages,  both  ancient 
and  modern,  is  essential.  A  general  reading  knowl- 
edge of  several  languages  is  worth  much  more  than  a 
thorough  acquaintance  with  one.  A  little  time  spent 
in  learning  to  read  any  language,  the  grammar  being 
used  like  the  dictionary  rather  for  reference  than  for 
study,  will  secure  a  knowledge  of  it  better  for  library 
purposes  than  months  of  the  usual  school  and  college 
study. 

During  the  last  score  of  years,  the  remarkable  de- 
velopment of  library  inteiests  in  America  has  led  to 
a  growing  recognition  of  the  demands  of  the  libra- 
rian's office  for  a  more  definite  training  than  was 
formerly  necessary.  In  one  sense  it  is  doubtless  true 
that  the  best  training  school  for  librarians  is  a  good 
library,  and  many  of  the  most  efficient  librarians  now 
in  service  had  no  other.  But  a  person  entering  ser- 


The  Librarian:  His  Work  and  Training   83 

vice  in  a  library  cannot  often  have  an  opportunity  to 
become  acquainted  with  the  various  departments  of 
the  work,  and  so  acquire  within  a  limited  time  that 
entire  familiarity  with  librarianship  which  will  qualify 
him  to  take  charge  of  a  small  library.  To  meet  the 
increasing  demand  for  persons  thus  competent,  grow- 
ing out  of  the  great  multiplication  of  libraries,  train- 
ing classes  have  been  organized  in  connection  with 
various  institutions,  —  the  Pratt  Institute  of  Brooklyn, 
the  Drexel  Institute  of  Philadelphia,  the  Public  Library 
of  Los  Angeles,  and  Amherst  College  (Summer  School) . 
A  more  ambitious  effort  in  this  direction  is  the  Li- 
brary School,  conducted  by  Mr  MELVIL  DEWEY  at  the 
State  Library  at  Albany  of  which  he  is  Director.  This 
school,  started  by  him  on  a  small  scale  at  Columbia 
College  in  1886,  when  he  was  librarian  there,  has 
now  come  to  have  a  regular  two  years'  course  with 
an  average  attendance  of  about  twenty.  Its  graduates 
are  established  as  librarians  or  assistants  in  many 
places  and  have  given  good  evidence  of  the  value  of 
their  training. 

Librarianship  affords  a  fine  field  for  woman's  work, 
and  a  decided  majority  of  all  American  librarians 
are  women.  Even  in  the  more  complicated  business 
of  managing  the  larger  institutions,  women  are  show- 
ing marked  abilities,  while  they  have  almost  a  mo- 
nopoly of  the  small  libraries  throughout  the  country. 
In  the  various  movements  for  making  libraries  more 
useful  and  popular,  women  have  been  pioneers ;  their 
readier  sympathies  qualify  them  for  inspiring  and  guid- 
ing young  readers,  and  advancing  the  '  missionary ' 
features  of  public-library  work.  To  college-educated 
women  especially  must  this  profession  increasingly 


84  Public  Libraries  in  America 

offer  openings  and  attractions,  as  new  libraries  are 
rapidly  established  and  older  ones  attain  a  size  de- 
manding more  and  better  service. 


Consult  a  series  of  articles  on  '  Being  a  Librarian,'  in  the  Library 
Journal,  vol.  xv. 

NOTE.  —  As  to  the  prominence  of  women  among  American  libra- 
rians, it  is  interesting  to  observe  that  of  the  'one  hundred  largest 
libraries'  of  which  statistics  are  given  in  Appendix  V,  precisely  one- 
half  have  women  as  librarians. 


CHAPTER  X 

THE  AMERICAN  LIBRARY  ASSOCIATION 

The  best  reading,  for  the  largest 
number,  at  the  least  cost. 

Motto  of  the  Association, 

"D  ECENT  library  progress  in  the  United  States  is 
-*-^  quite  intimately  connected  with  the  history  and 
work  of  the  national  association  of  librarians,  organ- 
ized in  1876  at  a  conference  held  in  Philadelphia,  in 
connection  with  the  Centennial  celebration  of  that 
year. 

As  early  as  1853,  there  met  in  New  York  City  'the 
first  convention  of  librarians  that  ever  assembled  in 
the  United  States.'  Fifty-three  persons  were  in  attend- 
ance, as  though  one  responded  for  each  year  of  the 
century  to  that  date.  Among  those  present  were, 
WILLIAM  F.  POOLE  of  the  Mercantile  Library  of 
Boston,  SAMUEL  F.  HAVEN  of  the  American  Antiqua- 
rian Society,  Worcester,  CHARLES  FOLSOM  of  the 
Boston  Athenaeum,  REUBEN  A.  GUILD  of  Brown  Uni- 
versity, LLOYD  P.  SMITH  of  the  Philadelphia  Library 
Company,  and  CHARLES  C.  JEWETT  of  the  Smithsonian 
Institution. 

That  modern  library  ideas  were  already  in  vogue  is 
shown  by  the  resolutions  passed,  as  follows  :  ( i )  Fav- 
oring the  establishment  of  local  public  libraries  in 
every  town;  (2)  Recommending  the  issue  of  a  popu- 


86  Public  Libraries  in  America 

lar  library  manual1;  (3)  Appointing  a  committee  to 
draft  a  plan  for  a  Librarian's  Association,  and  to  call 
a  meeting  in  Washington  the  following  year ;  and  (4) 
Approving  the  plan  and  execution  of  POOLE'S  Index 
to  Periodicals,  and  recommending  a  similar  plan  of 
indexing  to  be  extended  to  the  transactions  and  me- 
moirs of  learned  societies.2 

1  To  secure  the  carrying  out  of  this  recommendation  a  com- 
mittee was  appointed,  whose  chairman,  Dr  GUILD,  librarian 
of  Brown  University  for  forty-six  years,  has  only  recently  re- 
signed that  position.     Dr  GUILD  prepared,  and  in  1858  pub- 
lished The  Librarian's  Manual,  a  small  quarto  of  304  pages, 
occupied  in  the  first  half  by  a  select  list  of  bibliographies,  and 
in  the  latter  by  descriptions  of  the  leading  libraries  in  Europe 
and  America.     Except  as  incidentally  touched  on  in  the  de- 
scriptions of  these  libraries,  the  book  made  no  attempt  to  fur- 
nish a  manual   of  library  practice.     Dealing  with  what  now 
seems  to  have  been  a  primeval  period  in  American  library  his- 
tory, couched  in  somewhat  formal  language,  and  printed  in 
antique  type  (with  capital  initials  for  all  nouns),  it  is  difficult 
to  believe  that  only  thirty-five  years  have  passed  since  its  pub- 
lication.    The  book  deserves  mention  as  an  excellent  piece  of 
typography,  and  reflects  marked  credit  not  only  on  its  author, 
but  also  on  its  publisher,  the  late  General  CHARLKS  B.  NORTON 
of  New  York,  also  the  publisher  of  POOLE'S  Index  (edition  of 
1853),  and  distinguished  for  a  genuine  and  public  spirited  inter- 
est in  libraries.    It  was  at  his  suggestion,  and  through  his  efforts 
mainly,  that  this  Librarian's  Conference  of  1853  was  held.    He 
was  the  publisher  of  NORTON'S  Literary  Register,  and  in  the 
volume  of  that  periodical  for  1854  is  to  be  found  a  full  report 
of  the  proceedings  of  this  conference. 

2  An  index  to  the  publications  of  learned  societies  has  not 
yet  advanced  much  beyond  the  stage  indicated  in  1853,  —  that 
of  being  a  recognized  desideratum.      The    Royal  Society  of 
London  has  indeed  issued  a  catalogue,  arranged  alphabetically 
by  authors,  of  the  papers  in  these  publications,  but  the  prepa- 
ration of  the  index  by  subjects  seems  to  have  been  abandoned 
as  too  large  a  task.     So  great  is  the  demand  for  such  an  index 
that  frequent  efforts  have  been  made  to  provide  for  its  execu- 
tion ;  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  some  co-operative  plan  may 


The  American  Library  Association          87 

So  successful  was  this  meeting,  and  so  interesting 
to  those  in  attendance,  that  it  is  almost  incredible  that 
the  failure  of  the  committee  to  call  the  proposed 
meeting  for  organization  in  1854  should  have  put  the 
project  to  sleep  for  almost  a  generation, —  but  so  it  was. 
Only  when  the  Centennial  celebration  of  1876  gave 
a  new  impetus  to  all  such  movements  was  the  second 
meeting  of  librarians  held.  This  meeting  was  brought 
about  largely  through  the  efforts  of  Mr  MELVIL 
DEWEY,  a  graduate  in  1874  from  Amherst  College, 
where  he  had  remained  as  acting  librarian.  He  took 
a  leading  part  in  the  new  organization,  was  its  secre- 
tary for  fourteen  years,  then  its  president,  and  is  now, 
as  Director  of  the  New  York  State  Library,  one  of  the 
most  prominent  librarians  and  promoters  of  library 
work  in  the  country. 

At  this  meeting  in  1876,  the  American  Library  As- 
sociation was  definitely  organized  with  JUSTIN  WINSOR, 
then  librarian  of  the  Boston  Public  Library,  as  presi- 
dent. Successive  meetings  have  been  held  nearly 
every  succeeding  year ;  a  complete  list  follows  on  the 
next  page  :  — 

soon  be  formed  by  which  the  work  can  be  accomplished.  It  is 
an  object  well  worth  the  attention  of  the  Smithsonian  Institu- 
tion, as  a  means  to  'the  increase  and  diffusion  of  knowledge' ; 
and  a  special  endowment  of  this  enterprise  would  be  a  wiser 
disposal  of  property  than  the  founding  of  an  additional 
college. 

Note  to  2d  edition.  —  The  author  received,  in  August,  1894, 
from  the  Secretary  of  the  Royal  Society,  official  notice  that  trie 
Society  has  determined  to  proceed  immediately  with  the  prepa- 
ration and  issue  of  this  desired  subject-index,  —  a  most  welcome 
announcement. 


Public  Libraries  in  America 


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The  American  Library  Association          89 

There  was  also  an  informal  gathering  of  about  thirty 
librarians  at  the  Catskills  in  1888,  which  did  not  count 
as  a  meeting  of  the  Association ;  the  proceedings  were, 
however,  of  considerable  interest,  and  are  reported  in 
the  Library  Journal,  vol.  xiii. 

In  1877,  just  after  the  meeting  in  New  York,  a 
party  of  twenty-one  American  librarians  went  to 
England  to  attend  the  first  general  convention  of 
English  librarians,  held  in  London ;  as  a  result  of  this 
meeting  the  Library  Association  of  the  United  King- 
dom was  organized,  which  has  had  a  very  successful 
career,  doing  much  to  advance  the  library  interests  of 
Great  Britain. 

In  the  meetings  of  the  American  Library  Associa- 
tion, the  one  object  constantly  in  view  is  co-operation 
among  libraries  in  the  interest  of  better  and  more 
economical  administration,  looking  to  a  more  efficient 
and  satisfactory  service  of  the  public.  The  subjects 
most  discussed  have  been  :  the  best  library  legislation ; 
how  to  further  the  establishment  of  libraries  in  every 
community ;  library  buildings  ;  the  wise  selection  of 
books  ;  the  best  methods  of  cataloguing  and  classifica- 
tion ;  library  records  and  book-keeping ;  above  all, 
the  educational  and  missionary  features  of  library 
work,  —  reaching  the  young  through  the  schools,  and 
older  people  by  means  of  branches  and  delivery 
stations,  and  through  University  extension  or  other 
lectures ;  and  in  various  ways  creating  the  demand 
which  the  library  shall  supply.  One  who  reads  the 
proceedings  of  these  meetings  can  hardly  fail  to  be 
impressed  with  the  prominent  place  occupied  by  pub- 
lic spirited  and  humanitarian  feelings  and  motives  in 
the  present  administration  of  public  libraries. 

But  the  discussion  of  these  vital  questions  of  library 


go  Public  Libraries  in  America 

management,  interesting  and  profitable  as  it  is,  has 
not  formed  the  entire  work  of  the  Association.  Prac- 
tical methods  of  co-operation  were  sought  from  the 
first.  At  the  original  meeting  in  1876,  steps  were 
taken  for  securing  the  preparation,  by  a  co-operative 
scheme,  of  a  new  edition  of  POOLE'S  Index  to  Peri- 
odicals, brought  down  to  date.  About  fifty  librarians 
entered  into  this  scheme,  and  the  work  was  brought 
out  in  1882  in  a  volume  of  1450  pages.  Supplements 
to  this  Index  have  been  regularly  issued,  also  prepared 
by  co-operation. 

In  1886  the  Publishing  Section  of  the  Association 
was  organized  for  the  purpose  of  securing  the  issue  of 
works  of  similar  utility  in  libraries,  which  cannot  be 
produced  on  a  basis  of  mercantile  profit.  Reading 
for  the  Young :  a  Classified  and  Annotated  Catalogue, 
by  JOHN  F.  SARGENT,  was  issued  by  the  Publishing 
Section  in  1890  ;  and  in  1893  was  brought  out  a  much 
larger  work,  the  '  A.  L.  A?  [American  Library  Asso- 
ciation] Index  to  General  Literature,  complementing 
POOLE'S  Index,  and  indexing  the  papers  in  books 
of  essays  and  other  composite  volumes  outside  of 
periodicals. 

Not  least  of  the  good  things  accomplished  by  the 
Association  has  been  the  publication  of  the  Library 
Journal,  now  in  its  igth  volume,  constituting  a  verit- 
able storehouse  of  information  on  all  subjects  con- 
nected with  libraries. 

In  1890,  at  the  White  Mountain  meeting,  the  En- 
dowment Fund  of  the  Association  was  started.  The 
intention  is  to  raise  the  sum  of  $20,000  or  more,  the 
income  of  which  shall  be  employed  in  enabling  the 
Association  to  print  and  distribute  large  editions  of  its 
proceedings  and  papers  as  a  means  of  cultivating  the 


The  American  Library  Association        91 

public  library  sentiment  throughout  the  country,  and 
in  enlarging  and  strengthening  the  work  of  the  Pub- 
lishing Section.  This  endowment  fund,  under  the 
care,  as  treasurer,  of  Mr  E.  C.  HOVEY  of  Brookline, 
Mass.,  formerly  trustee  of  the  Public  Library  there, 
has  already  attained  large  proportions,  but  has  not 
reached  its  limit.  A  comparatively  small  sum  invested 
in  this  fund  will  yield  large  returns  in  advancing  the 
library  cause  throughout  the  country,  and  so  in  the 
elevation  and  enlightenment  of  the  whole  people. 

The  interest  in  the  recent  annual  meetings  of  the 
Association  has  led  to  a  movement  for  establishing 
local  library  clubs  and  societies,  providing  for  frequent 
meetings  of  the  librarians  within  a  limited  region. 
The  New  York  Library  Club,  founded  in  1885,  and  a 
continued  success,  has  been  followed  by  the  Massa- 
chusetts Library  Club,  the  Chicago  Library  Club,  the 
Connecticut  Library  Association,  the  New  Hampshire 
Library  Association,  and  others.  By  means  of  these 
local  associations,  the  librarians  of  the  smaller  libra- 
ries, who  cannot  attend  the  national  gatherings,  are 
brought  into  contact  with  modern  library  ideas  and 
methods,  which  are  thereby  introduced  into  the  small 
towns  with  great  advantage. 

This  chapter  should  not  close  without  especial  ref- 
erence to  the  library  exhibit  at  the  Columbian  Expo- 
sition in  1893,  and  the  Congress  of  Librarians  held  at 
Chicago  in  connection  with  the  Fair.  The  congress 
was  made  to  include  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Asso- 
ciation, and  continued  nearly  a  fortnight,  with  one 
session  daily.  The  papers  and  proceedings  were  so 
arranged,  through  the  assignments  made  beforehand, 
that  every  important  department  of  library  work  was 
covered  both  historically  and  practically.  The  pro- 


92  Public  Libraries  in  America 

ceedings  are  to  be  issued  in  a  volume  by  the  United 
States  Bureau  of  Education,  and  will  constitute  a  sort 
of  encyclopaedia  of  library  science. 

The  library  exhibit  in  the  Government  building  at 
the  Exposition,  while  under  the  auspices  of  the  Bu- 
reau of  Education,  was  arranged  by  a  committee  of 
the  American  Library  Association,  and  formed  one  of 
the  most  interesting  of  all  the  literary  exhibits  at  the 
Fair.  Perhaps  its  chief  attraction  was  the  'model 
library,'  a  collection  of  about  5000  volumes,  chosen  by 
a  canvass  of  many  librarians,  and  representing  their 
judgment  of  the  5000  volumes  best  adapted  for  start- 
ing a  library.  The  catalogue  of  this  collection,  issued 
by  the  Bureau  of  Education,  will  doubtless  be  much 
used  by  new  libraries  as  a  purchase  list. 

Besides  the  'model  library,'  the  exhibit  contained 
several  of  the  best  styles  of  shelving,  the  most  im- 
proved catalogue  cases,  with  other  library  furniture 
and  fittings ;  also  numerous  plans  of  library  buildings, 
specimens  of  different  methods  of  cataloguing,  and 
many  other  things  calculated  to  show  the  progress  in 
all  these  matters,  and  to  acquaint  all  visitors  with  the 
best  methods  and  apparatus. 

This  exhibit  cannot  fail  to  have  made  a  strong  im- 
pression throughout  the  country  in  favor  of  public 
libraries,  and  of  their  live  and  progressive  manage- 
ment, and  doubtless  will  greatly  enhance  the  library 
movement  in  the  end  of  the  igth  and  the  beginning 
of  the  2Oth  centuries. 


CHAPTER  XI 

A   FEW  REPRESENTATIVE  LIBRARIES 

Example  is  a  living  law,  whose  sway 
Men  more  than  all  the  written  laws  obey. 
C.  SEDLEY. 

'"THE  object  of  this  chapter  is  to  give  a  brief  ac- 
-*•  count  of  certain  libraries  serving  as  types  of  the 
classes  to  which  they  belong,  and  to  illustrate  the 
history  and  development  of  public  libraries  in  the 
United  States. 

It  may  be  proper  to  remark  that  those  chosen  for 
this  purpose  have  been  selected  not  because  they 
were  more  worthy  of  especial  mention  than  many 
others,  but  because  the  facts  regarding  them  were 
available  to  the  writer.  Besides,  it  would  be  a  hope- 
less task  to  select  those  most  worthy  of  separate 
description. 

Considering  first  the  subscription  libraries,  a  very 
important  factor  in  the  development  of  our  library 
system,  no  better  example  can  be  found  than  the  one 
already  mentioned  in  the  language  of  FRANKLIN,  its 
founder,  as  being  '  the  mother  of  all  the  subscription 
libraries  in  America.'  FRANKLIN'S  own  story  of  its 
origin  is  of  interest,  as  told  in  his  Autobiography. 
Only  a  few  extracts  can  be  given  here.  He  says  : 

« At  the  time  I  established  myself  in  Philadelphia  there 
was  not  a  good  bookseller's  shop  in  any  of  the  colonies 
to  the  southward  of  Boston.  .  .  Those  who  loved  read- 


94  Public  Libraries  in  America 

ing  were  obliged  to  send  for  their  books  to  England ;  the 
members  of  the  Junto  had  each  a  few.  We  had  left  the 
ale-house,  where  we  first  met,  and  hired  a  room  to  hold 
.our  club  in.  I  proposed  that  we  should  all  of  us  bring 
.our  books  to  that  room,  where  they  .  .  .  would  become  a 
.common  benefit,  each  of  us  being  at  liberty  to  borrow 
:such  as  he  wished  to  read  at  home.  This  was  accordingly 
done,  and  for  some  time  contented  us.  ...  Yet  some  in- 
conveniences occurring  for  want  of  due  care  of  them,  the 
collection,  after  about  a  year,  was  separated,  and  each 
took  his  books  home  again.  And  now  I  set  on  foot  my 
first  project  of  a  public  nature,  that  for  a  subscription 
library.  ...  I  was  not  able,  with  great  industry,  to  find 
more  than  fifty  persons,  mostly  young  tradesmen,  willing 
to  pay  down  for  this  purpose  forty  shillings  each,  and  ten 
shillings  per  annum.  On  this  little  fund  we  began.  The 
books  were  imported ;  the  library  was  open  one  day  in 
the  week  for  lending  to  the  subscribers,  on  their  promis- 
sory notes  to  pay  double  their  value  if  not  duly  returned.' 

In  1732,  the  first  books  were  received,  and  the 
library  was  fairly  launched.  The  library  company 
was  duly  incorporated  ten  years  later,  and  gradually 
won  more  and  more  of  public  favor.  Large  gifts  of 
books  were  made,  and  several  other  libraries  founded 
in  imitation  of  it  were  eventually  absorbed.  It  passed 
through  the  Revolution  without  suffering  loss,  and 
maintaining  the  respect  of  both  parties.  When  the 
city  was  occupied  by  the  British,  their  officers  used 
the  library,  but  always  paid  for  the  privilege.  At  the 
close  of  the  war  it  numbered  about  5,000  volumes. 

In  1745,  Mr  JAMES  LOGAN  had  conveyed  to  trustees, 
for  the  benefit  of  the  public,  his  valuable  private 
library,  attaching  to  the  gift  some  peculiar  conditions  ; 
for  example,  that  the  librarian  should  always  be  a 
descendant  of  his,  and  that  his  family  should  be  well 
represented  on  the  Board  of  Management.  Difficul- 


A  few  Representative  Libraries  95 

ties  arose  in  connection  with  these  conditions,  and  it 
was  closed  in  1776,  remaining  so  until  1792.  when  it 
was  combined  with  the  Philadelphia  Library.  The 
Loganian  Library  was,  however,  kept  by  itself,  Mr 
LOGAN'S  descendants  being  represented  on  the  Board 
of  Management,  and  the  collection  has  constantly 
increased  from  its  own  funds,  so  that  it  constitutes 
one  of  the  chief  features  of  the  institution. 

From  the  first,  the  effect  of  the  Philadelphia  Li- 
brary on  the  community  was  quite  marked,  and  the 
city  soon  became  distinguished  for  the  reading  habits 
of  its  people.  A  traveller,  the  Revd  JACOB  DUCHE, 
writing  in  1 7  74,  says  of  it :  — 

'  You  would  be  astonished  at  the  general  taste  for  books 
which  prevails  among  all  orders  and  ranks  of  people  in 
this  city.  The  librarian  assured  me  that  for  one  person 
of  distinction  and  fortune  there  were  twenty  tradesmen 
that  frequented  his  library.' 

This  library  has  gone  on  prosperously  from  the  out- 
set, growing  constantly  in  size  and  influence.  For 
thirty-five  years,  ending  with  his  death  in  1886,  Mr 
LLOYD  P.  SMITH  was  librarian.  A  man  of  rare  abilities 
and  peculiar  fitness  for  the  position,  he  was  recog- 
nized in  both  Europe  and  America  as  a  leader  in  the 
profession.  Under  his  care  and  that  of  the  other  able 
men  who  have  held  the  position,  the  books  have  been 
selected  wisely  and  well  cared  for.  Not  being  called 
on  to  meet  the  same  popular  demands  that  confront 
an  ordinary  public  library,  a  large  share  of  the  income 
has  been  expended  on  costly  works  of  permanent  value 
relating  to  various  subjects,  especially  to  the  fine  arts. 

In  1869,  Dr  JAMES  RUSH  left  his  large  estate, 
amounting  to  $1,500,000,  to  establish  the  Ridgway 


96  Public  Libraries  in  America 

branch  of  the  Philadelphia  Library,  and  for  its  ac- 
commodation, a  magnificent  stone  building,  of  which 
a  view  is  given  herewith,  was  erected  at  a  cost  of 
$800,000.  The  library  now  numbers  1 70,000  vol- 
umes, about  equally  divided  between  the  Ridgway 
branch  and  the  parent  library  at  Locust  Street,  where 
the  original  building,  erected  in  1789,  has  been  re- 
placed by  a  much  more  commodious  one,  enlarged  to 
its  present  size  in  1889  by  a  gift  of  $50,000  from 
Mr  HENRY  C.  LEA. 

The  Philadelphia  Library  is  entirely  free  to  all 
comers  as  a  reference  library,  like  the  Astor  Library 
in  New  York;  but  a  small  fee  is  required  of  those 
not  members  of  the  company,  who  take  books  away 
from  the  building. 

Not  only  do  such  libraries  serve  the  purpose  of 
educating  a  community  up  to  the  support  of  a  free 
library,  but,  as  is  often  the  case,  they  continue  to  be 
useful  and  to  flourish  side  by  side  with  the  free  library. 
In  Boston,  the  Athenaeum,  a  high-priced  subscription 
(or  rather  corporation)  library,  has  received  a  decided 
impulse  from  the  public  library,  and  was  never  so 
flourishing  as  at  present.  And  should  the  movement 
now  on  foot  for  the  establishment  in  Philadelphia  of  a 
free  library  be  successful,  although  the  Library  Com- 
pany may  seem  to  suffer  for  a  time,  it  is  likely  to  be 
benefited  in  the  long  run.  Anything  which  serves, 
as  does  a  free  library,  to  increase  greatly  the  public 
taste  and  desire  for  books,  makes  an  increased  posi- 
tive demand  for  the  peculiar  advantages  offered  by  a 
first-class  subscription  library. 

The  Public  Library  of  New  Bedford  may  well  be 
taken  as  an  example  of  the  regular  free  library  founded 


I 


A  few  Representative  Libraries  97 

in  pursuance  of  the  State  library  law,  especially  as  it 
was  the  first  one  so  organized  in  Massachusetts.  The 
first  steps  were  taken  at  a  meeting  held  within  six 
weeks  of  the  passage  of  the  law  in  May,  1851.  The 
year  following  the  city  passed  an  ordinance  appropri- 
ating $1,500  for  its  establishment,  and  providing  for 
its  maintenance.  The  New  Bedford  Social  Union 
transferred  to  the  new  library  about  5,500  volumes 
which  it  had  accumulated,  forming  a  particularly  good 
collection,  and  affording  the  library  a  favorable  begin- 
ning. From  Mr  GEORGE  ROWLAND,  Junr,  it  received, 
in  1857,  a  gift  of  $1,000,  the  income  to  be  applied 
to  the  purchase  of  more  expensive  works ;  and  in 
1870,  one  of  $50,000  from  SYLVIA  ANN  HOWLAND  for 
the  same  purpose,  so  that  the  library  has  had  rare 
opportunities  for  acquiring  a  class  of  books  better 
than  those  commonly  found  in  popular  public  libra- 
ries. Other  large  gifts  have  been  received,  both  of 
money  and  of  books  (not  less  than  10,000  volumes), 
showing  the  strong  hold  of  the  library  on  the  affec- 
tions of  the  people. 

In  1857,  the  city  erected  a  handsome  brick  building 
at  a  cost  of  about  $40,000,  which  in  1887  was  en- 
larged to  nearly  double  its  original  capacity.  The 
library  now  contains  nearly  60,000  volumes.  Much 
attention  has  been  devoted  to  material  illustrating 
local  history,  and  a  very  interesting  collection  has 
already  been  acquired. 

From  the  beginning  the  library  has  been  regarded 
as  a  part  of  the  educational  system,  and  has  been 
made  to  co-operate  in  the  school  work  in  every  way 
possible,  teachers  directing  the  reading  of  the  pupils, 
and  making  the  use  of  library  books  a  definite 
feature  of  school  work  in  history,  language,  and  the 
sciences. 


98  Public  Libraries  in  America 

Thus  the  New  Bedford  Library  exemplifies  most 
of  the  characteristics  of  the  Massachusetts  public 
library :  — 

1 i )  Establishment  and  support  by  municipal  action. 

(2)  Absorption  of  the  older  society  library. 

(3)  Reception  of  many  generous  gifts  of  money 
and  of  books. 

(4)  The    erection    of    a    suitable    and    imposing 
building. 

(5)  Accumulation  and  preservation  of  local  memo- 
rabilia and  materials  for  history. 

(6)  Active    and    effective    co-operation   with    the 
schools. 

(7)  Entire  freedom  of  use  by  the  whole  community. 

One  of  the  most  beautiful  and  satisfactory  library 
buildings  in  the  country  is  located  at  Minneapolis, 
and  it  houses  one  of  the  best  of  the  city  libraries. 
Its  history  well  illustrates  the  rapid  growth  of  institu- 
tions in  the  West,  and  the  small  beginnings  from  which 
large  libraries  often  grow. 

In  1859,  BAYARD  TAYLOR  lectured  in  Minneapolis, 
having  made  it  a  condition  of  his  doing  so  that  the 
proceeds  should  accrue  to  the  benefit  of  some  literary 
institution.  This  led  to  the  establishment  of  the 
Athenaeum,  incorporated  in  1860,  which  in  the  course 
of  a  few  years  accumulated  several  hundred  volumes, 
mainly  from  funds  raised  by  lectures  and  other  enter- 
tainments. In  1866,  a  small  building  was  erected, 
$11,000  having  been  subscribed  for  the  purpose.  In 
1870,  Dr  KIRBY  SPENCER  left  property  which  has 
risen  in  value  until  it  amounts  to  over  $200,000,  the 
income  to  be  used  only  in  the  purchase  of  books.  In 
1884,  an  Act  of  the  Legislature  was  secured  incorpor- 


A  few  Representative  Libraries  99 

ating  the  Public  Library,  the  Athenaeum  being  merged 
in  it,  and  providing  by  taxation  funds  for  its  support 
and  for  the  erection  of  a  building.  The  new  struc- 
ture here  shown  was  completed  in  1889  at  a  cost  of 
nearly  $300,000,  and  is  a  model  of  convenience 
and  usefulness  as  well  as  of  architectural  taste  and 
elegance. 

During  most  of  its  history  the  library,  of  which 
Professor  J.  K.  HOSMER  is  now  librarian,  has  been  in 
the  charge  of  Mr  HERBERT  PUTNAM,  a  son  of  the 
late  GEORGE  P.  PUTNAM,  the  New  York  publisher, 
and  he  made  it  known  far  and  wide  for  liberality  and 
progressiveness  of  administration.  Contrary  to  the 
practice  of  most  public  libraries,  readers  are  here  ad- 
mitted quite  freely  to  the  book-shelves  to  make  their 
own  selections  or  to  read  in  the  alcoves ;  and  all  restric- 
tions not  absolutely  essential  to  the  safety  and  good 
order  of  the  library  are  removed.  The  fact  that  such 
a  policy  has  been  pursued  for  years  without  loss  or 
damage  to  the  library  is  not  only  a  testimony  to  the 
high  character  of  the  people,  but  an  indication  that 
similar  freedom  of  access  might  be  granted  elsewhere. 

The  Minneapolis  Library  is  one  of  the  few  having 
museums  and  art  galleries  as  accessories.  The  new 
building  provides  in  its  upper  story  an  admirable  hall 
for  the  exhibition  of  paintings,  and  contains,  besides 
lecture-rooms,  the  natural- history  collections  of  the 
Minnesota  Academy  of  Natural  Sciences. 

In  this  regard  the  free  libraries  of  the  United  States 
exhibit  quite  a  marked  difference  from  those  of  Eng- 
land, where  museums  of  art  and  science  are  regarded 
as  essential  concomitants  of  the  library.  Such  com- 
bination is  rarely  attempted  here,  and  is  perhaps 
wholly  confined  to  places  where  these  institutions  have 


ioo  Public  Libraries  in  America 

been  built  up  by  associations,  and  have  become  free 
under  municipal  direction  by  later  arrangement.  This 
was  true  at  Minneapolis,  and  similarly  at  Hartford, 
Springfield  (Massachusetts),  and  some  other  places. 
The  library  at  Buffalo,  occupying  a  fine  new  building, 
with  art  gallery,  historical  museum,  and  library  in  the 
same  structure,  is  not  yet  free  to  public  use. 

Our  public  libraries,  established  as  such,  have  gen- 
erally been  held  strictly  to  their  purpose  of  supplying 
reading  to  the  people,  one  reason  being  that  the  de- 
mand for  books  is  so  great  that  the  library  itself  ab- 
sorbs all  available  funds  and  occupies  all  available 
room. 

As  time  goes  by,  the  museums  and  art  galleries 
now  combined  with  libraries  will  likely  be  separated 
from  them,  giving  to  both  larger  opportunities  for  de- 
velopment and  allowing  more  convenient  use.  With 
the  growth  in  taste  and  culture,  museums  and  galleries 
will  increase  in  number,  but  it  will  probably  be  found 
mutually  advantageous  not  to  establish  them  in  close 
connection  with  public  libraries. 

The  Enoch  Pratt  Free  Library  of  Baltimore  may  be 
taken  as  a  good  type  of  the  free  library  not  established 
by  the  community  itself,  but  given  to  it  outright  by  a 
generous  benefactor.  Baltimore  has  long  had  excel- 
lent reference  libraries,  its  Peabody  Institute  being  in 
the  very  front  rank  of  such  institutions.  But  the  lack 
of  a  general  lending  library  was  apparent ;  and  in 
1882,  Mr  PRATT,  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  who  had 
acquired  wealth  in  business  in  Baltimore,  determined 
to  supply  that  deficiency,  and  with  great  wisdom  set 
about  the  work  while  he  was  yet  living,  instead  of 
deferring  it  until  his  death,  at  the  risk  of  that  thwart- 


A  few  Representative  Libraries  101 

ing  of  intention  through  legal  complications  so  often 
happening,  and  notably  in  the  case  of  the  TILDEN 
bequest  to  New  York.1 

Mr  PRATT'S  method  of  establishing  his  trust  was  as 
wise  as  his  purpose  was  generous.  His  proposition, 

1  The  Hon.  SAMUEL  J.  TILDEN,  dying  in  1886,  left  a  will 
dated  in  1884,  devising  the  bulk  of  his  immense  property,  esti- 
mated at  $7,000,000,  to  trustees,  for  the  purpose  of  founding  a 
free  public  library  in  New  York  city.  At  the  suit  of  a  nephew, 
an  heir-at-law,  this  provision  of  the  will  was  defeated  in  the 
courts,  being  finally  declared  invalid  by  the  court  of- last  resort 
in  the  State. 

This  case  attracted  much  attention  on  account  of  the  impor- 
tance and  magnitude  of  the  interests  involved,  and  especially 
because  the  result  seemed  to  show  that  so  astute  a  lawyer  as 
Mr  TILDEN,  with  the  aid  of  the  perhaps  equally  competent 
practitioners  who  assisted  in  drawing  the  will,  was  incompetent 
to  state  his  intentions  so  that  they  could  be  properly  carried 
out.  Professor  J.  B.  AMES,  of  the  Harvard  Law  School,  in 
The  Harvard  Law  Review  for  i5th  March  1892,  ascribes  the 
mi>carriage  of  the  Tilden  Trust  to  defects  in  the  legislative 
and  judicial  system  of  New  York,  by  which  public  bequests 
are  deprived  of  that  protection  accorded  them  in  most  of  the 
States. 

But  it  is  hardly  to  be  doubted  that  the  real  gist  of  the  diffi- 
culty lay  where  it  is  placed  by  Mr  JAMES  L.  HIGH  in  an  article 
on  'The  Tilden  Trust  and  Why  it  Failed,'  in  The  Atlantic  Monthly 
for  October,  1893.  His  statement  is  that  the  objection  upon 
which  the  judgment  cf  the  Court  of  Appeals  was  largely  based 
'  may  perhaps  be  best  expressed  in  the  statement  that  it  nowhere 
clearly  appears  in  the  will  that  the  testator  intended  to  found  a 
free  library  ...  in  the  City  of  New  York.' 

However,  Mr  TII.DEN'S  relatives  and  heirs  were  not  all  con- 
tent to  see  his  apparent  intention  frustrated,  and  one  of  them, 
Mr!>  WM.  A.  HAZARD,  has  deeded  to  the  executors,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  establishing  The  Tilden  Library,  her  entire  rights  in 
the  property,  estimated  at  over  $2,000,000,  an  amount  which,  if 
judiciously  employed,  will  found  an  institution  capable  of  doing 
great  good. 

For  farther  information  consult,  in  addition  to  the  articles 
referred  to  above,  Library  Journal,  xvi.(i89i),  337-346. 


IO2  Public  Libraries  in  America 

readily  accepted  by  the  municipal  government,  was 
that  he  should  turn  over  to  the  city  the  sum  of 
$833,000,  on  condition  that  it  should  guarantee  to  the 
library  an  annual  income  of  $50,000.  Thus  an  in- 
come was  secured  equal  in  stability  to  the  credit  of  the 
city  itself.  Mr  PRATT  also  paid  the  cost  of  the  library 
building,  which  was  not  far  from,  $400,000  additional. 
Five  branches  have  been  established  in  different 
parts  of  the  city,  and  the  library  is  thus  reaching  the 
entire  community  with  its  helpful  influence,  Mr  PRATT'S 
wish  being,  above  all  else,  to  carry  the  advantages  of 
a  large  and  well-selected  library  to  the  doors  of  the 
people.  Its  annual  circulation  is  about  450,000 
volumes,  and  the  reading-rooms  are  very  largely 
patronized. 

A  pamphlet  has  recently  been  issued  in  Peterbor- 
ough, New  Hampshire,  claiming  for  the  library  in  that 
town  recognition  as  the  first  free  public  library  organ- 
ized in  the  country,  '  or,'  in  the  language  of  the 
pamphlet,  '  we  might  even  say  in  the  world  ;  for  the 
European  municipal  libraries,  some  of  which  have 
existed  for  over  300  years,  are  not  supported  by  pop- 
ular taxation  and  correspond  only  in  name  with  our 
modern  town  libraries.' 

Peterborough  in  1833  voted  to  employ  a  certain  sum 
of  money  (which,  having  been  raised  by  State  taxation 
on  banks,  was  distributed  to  the  towns  by  the  State  to  be 
used  for  some  '  educational  purpose  ')  in  the  purchase 
of  books  for  a  town  library  to  be  free  to  the  people  of 
the  town.  This  action  antedates  by  sixteen  years  the 
first  law  (that  of  New  Hampshire)  providing  for  town 
support  of  libraries,  and  it  seems  quite  likely  that  it 
does  present  the  first  case  of  a  free  library  supported  by 


A  fav  Representative  Libraries         103 

public  funds.  Dr  ABIEL  ABBOT  was  active  in  selecting 
the  books  and  forming  the  library,  which  '  grew  steadily 
from  its  foundation,  the  town  paying  annually  forty- 
five  dollars  and  upwards  for  its  support.'  In  the  ab- 
sence of  direct  evidence  for  or  against  the  theory,  it 
is  easy  to  believe  that  the  success  of  this  experiment 
was  largely  instrumental  in  bringing  about  the  legisla- 
tion of  1849,  by  which  New  Hampshire,  first  of  all 
the  States,  favored  the  establishment  of  free  town 
libraries. 

The  Peterborough  Library,  beginning  in  1833  with 
about  a  hundred  books,  and  now  numbering  8,000 
volumes,  has  received  numerous  gifts  of  books  and 
money;  and  in  1893  it  moved  into  a  beautiful  new 
building  costing  $20,000,  with  a  capacity  of  40,000 
volumes,  the  gift  of  friends  of  the  library. 

No  more  interesting  chapter  in  library  history  has 
been  written  than  the  Report  of  the  Massachusetts 
Library  Commission  for  1891,  containing  historical 
sketches  of  all  the  public  libraries  in  the  State ;  and  to 
that  Report  the  reader  is  referred  for  many  additional 
examples  of  successful  and  useful  libraries  growing 
from  the  feeblest  beginnings,  and  also  for  numerous 
practical  suggestions  from  experience  as  to  the  best 
methods  of  securing  the  establishment  and  mainte- 
nance of  a  library. 


CHAPTER  XII 
SPECIAL  LIBRARIES 

The  central  fact  in  civil  society  is 
the  division  of  labor. 

W.  T.  HARRIS. 

*~PHAT  account  of  the  public  libraries  of  America 
would  be  incomplete  which  did  not  include  the 
large  number  of  important  special  libraries  belonging 
to  various  societies  and  institutions,  but  practically 
open  to  the  public  for  serious  research  and  study. 

The  Historical  Societies,  located  in  nearly  every 
State,  have  libraries  which  are  semi-public.  Those  of  the 
Massachusetts,  Connecticut,  New  York,  Long  Island, 
Pennsylvania,  Virginia,  Wisconsin,  and  Minnesota 
Historical  Societies,  and  the  American  Antiquarian 
Society  at  Worcester,  Massachusetts,  are  especially 
noteworthy  for  their  completeness,  the  efficiency  of 
their  management,  and  their  service  to  the  cause  of 
literature  in  their  own  department.  The  New  Eng- 
land Historic  Genealogical  Society  in  Boston,  mak- 
ing a  specialty  of  local  history  and  genealogy,  has 
gathered  a  considerable  library  in  these  classes.  All 
these  libraries  are  freely  resorted  to  by  inquirers  for 
historical  information,  and  contribute  largely  to  the 
public  welfare. 

In  many  States  the  State  Libraries  are  also  of  great 
value  to  the  community,  being  used  extensively  as 
free  reference-libraries  for  the  benefit  of  all  comers. 
Those  of  Massachusetts,  New  York,  and  California 


Special  Libraries  105 

are  among  the  largest  and  most  general  in  character, 
the  majority  of  the  State  collections  being  composed 
chiefly  of  law  books  and  public  documents. 

Various  scientific  societies  and  academies,  existing 
in  nearly  every  State,  have  also  accumulated  fine  col- 
lections of  scientific  books,  and  these  too  are  gener- 
ally open  to  any  one  who  can  really  make  good  use 
of  them.  They  are  thus  centres  of  true  scientific 
education  and  a  valuable  concomitant  of  the  public 
library,  which  is  usually  unable  to  go  beyond  popular 
science.  Such  libraries  are  connected  with  the  Amer- 
ican Academy  of  Arts  and  Sciences,  Boston,  the 
Boston  Natural  History  Society,  the  Essex  Institute  at 
Salem,  Massachusetts,  and  the  New  York,  Philadel- 
phia, St  Louis,  and  California  Academies  of  Science.1 

Mention  should  also  be  made  of  the  college  and 

1  The  city  of  Washington  has  now  a  noteworthy  congeries 
of  libraries  scientific  or  special  in  character. 
Among  the  largest  are  those  of  — 

No.  of  Vols. 

Congress 675,000 

House  of  Representatives 130,000 

Surgeon  General's  Office 105,000 

Senate 75,ooo 

Patent  Office 60,000 

Bureau  of  Education 50,000 

Department  of  State 50,000 

War  Department 33>oo° 

Geological  Survey 3°,ooo 

The  library  of  the  Surgeon  General's  office  has  acquired  a 
world-wide  reputation  not  alone  for  its  completeness  as  a  med- 
ical library,  though  it  is  probably  unsurpassed  in  its  specialty, 
but  also  for  its  admirable  printed  Index-Catalogue,  a  monument 
of  painstaking  and  intelligent  industry.  Fourteen  volumes  have 
been  printed,  and  two  more  are  needed  to  complete  the  work. 
Each  volume  contains  about  1,000  royal-octavo  pages  printed 
in  two  columns,  much  of  it  in  solid  nonpareil.  References  are 
made  under  author  and  subject,  not  only  to  the  105,000  volumes 
in  the  library,  but  (in  the  fourteen  volumes  already  issued)  to 


io6  Public  Libraries  in  America 

university  libraries,  in  many  cases  freely  accessible  to 
the  public.  If  there  were  no  other  public  libraries, 
those  of  the  colleges  would  do  much  toward  supply- 
ing their  place,  so  far  as  providing  books  for  the 
literary  and  studious  portion  of  the  community  is 
concerned. 

That  of  Harvard  University 2  was  for  two  centuries 
the  largest  library  in  the  country,  and  is  now  surpassed 
only  by  the  Congressional  and  Boston  Public  Libra- 
ries. Yale  has  also  an  excellent  one,  particularly  rich 
in  Americana  and  in  works  on  Oriental  subjects. 
Other  New  England  colleges,  Bowdoin,  Dartmouth, 
Amherst,  Williams,  Brown  University,  and  the  Univer- 
sity of  Vermont,  all  have  valuable  libraries  ;  the  last 
was  lately  enriched  by  the  addition  of  the  private 
library,  mostly  in  linguistics,  of  the  eminent  writer, 
GEORGE  P.  MARSH,  presented  by  the  late  Hon.  FRED- 
ERICK BILLINGS,  who  was  also  the  donor  of  the  hand- 
some new  library  building  of  the  University,  designed 
by  RICHARDSON. 

In  New  York,  the  libraries  of  Columbia  College 
and  Cornell  University  are  deserving  of  especial  no- 
tice. The  former,  opened  freely  to  all  for  reference  and 
study,  is  so  liberally  administered  that  it  is  used  very 
largely  by  persons  outside  the  college,  and  is  among 
the  most  useful  libraries  in  the  city.  Cornell  has  one 

135  ooo  pamphlets  and  462,000  articles  in  journals  and  transac- 
tions. It  is  by  far  the  most  extensive  library  catalogue  yet 
printed  excepting  that  of  the  British  Museum,  now  in  process 
of  issue ;  and  its  index-features  constitute  a  model  for  the  gen- 
eral scientific  index  suggested  on  page  86. 

2  The  accompanying  illustration  is  taken  from  an  excellent 
account  of  the  Harvard  library,  by  Mr  CHARLES  KNOWLES 
BOI.TON,  now  Librarian  of  the  Public  Library,  Brookline, 
Massachusetts. 


Special  Libraries 


107 


of  the  finest  library  buildings  in  the  country,  recently 
erected  at  a  cost  of  $250,000,  the  gift  of  HENRY 
W.  SAGE,  who  also  presented  an  endowment  fund  of 
$300,000 ;  and  the  library  is  very  strong  in  some 
departments,  particularly  in  history  (including  the 
rich  historical  library  of  ex-president  ANDREW  D. 
WHITE,  presented  by  him)  and  in  the  literatures  of 
continental  Europe.  The  University  of  Pennsylvania 
also  has  a  large  and  elegant  new  library  building  and 
a  fine  collection  of  books.  The  same  is  true  of  the 
University  of  Michigan,  Oberlin  College,  and  many 
other  institutions  for  higher  education ;  indeed,  nearly 
all  the  colleges  in  the  land  are  giving  greatly  increased 
attention  to  their  libraries  and  library  buildings.  The 
new  University  of  Chicago  created  a  sensation  in  the 
year  1891  by  its  purchase  in  Germany  of  an  entire 
library  of  150,000  volumes,  placing  it  at  one  stroke 
in  the  lead,  as  to  number  of  volumes,  of  all  the  Uni- 
versity libraries,  Harvard  alone  excepted.  Following 
is  a  brief  comparative  statement  of  the  foremost  col- 
lege and  university  libraries  :  — 


Institution 

Founded 

No.  Vols, 

Harvard  L'  Diversity    

l6-}6 

4^O,OOO 

University  of  Chicago     .... 

1890 
I7OI 

250,000 

180,000 

I7C7 

165,000 

1868 

150,000 

University  of  Pennsylvania      .     . 

I7S5 
1746 

100,000 
9  1,  coo 

l877 

90,000 

University  of  Michigan  .... 

1841 

I77O 

80,000 
7t;,ooo 

1767 

73,000 

1821 

61,000 

Johns  Hopkins  University  .     .     . 

1876 

60,000 

loS 


Public  Libraries  in  America 


Another  class  of  libraries,  even  better  indicated  by 
the  term  'public'  than  those  connected  with  some 
society  or  institution,  is  composed  of  endowed  free 
reference-libraries,  of  which  the  following  may  be 
cited  as  leading  examples  :  — 


Library  and  City 

Founded 

No.  Vols 

ASTOR,  New  York  City  .... 
LENOX,  New  York  City  .... 
NEWBERRY,  Chicago  

1849 
1870 
1887 

245,000 
3O,OCO 

115  ooo 

PEABODY  Institute,  Baltimore 
GROSVENOR,  Buffalo  .         ... 

1857 
iSCQ 

1  1  5,000 
40  ooo 

WATKINSON,  Hartford   .... 
BANCROFT,  San  Francisco  .     .     . 
SUTRO,  San  Francisco     .... 

*  Not  yet  opene 

1858 

1859 

* 

i 

45,000 
50,000 
200,000 

In  many  cities  and  towns  libraries  of  importance 
are  maintained  by  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Associ- 
ations, and  these  are  free  to  the  public  except  that  in 
most  cases  only  members  draw  books  for  home  use. 
By  the  nature  of  these  associations,  pledging  them  to 
benevolent  efforts,  the  '  missionary '  features  of  library 
work  are  prominent  with  them,  and  their  libraries 
reach  beneficially  large  classes  most  likely  to  profit  by 
their  use,  as  being  dependent  on  them,  in  the  ab- 
sence of  a  free  library,  for  what  of  culture  they  re- 
ceive. This  is  true  of  the  large  and  well-selected 
Y.  M.  C.  A.  libraries  of  New  York  City  and  Brooklyn, 
and  of  very  many  others  in  hundreds  of  places  not 
yet  reached  by  the  free-library  movement. 

Other  libraries  serving  considerable  numbers  of 
people  are  those  connected  with  various  fraternities 
like  the  Free  Masons  and  Odd  Fellows.  The  Odd 
Fellows'  library  in  San  Francisco  numbers  nearly 


Special  Libraries  109 

45,000  well-selected  volumes,   and    is   probably  the 
largest  of  its  kind  in  the  United  States. 

The  library,  with  its  reading-room,  is  also  one  of 
the  leading  features  of  many  city  clubs.  Noteworthy 
among  these  are  the  Century,  Union  League,  and 
University,  of  New  York,  the  Union  League  and 
Rittenhouse  in  Philadelphia,  and  the  Maryland  in 
Baltimore.8 

It  thus  appears  that  access  to  fairly  good  and  well- 
appointed  libraries  is  very  commonly  had  by  large 
classes  in  the  community,  even  where  no  free  public 
library  exists.  Still  it  must  be  noted  that  with  all  the 
advantages  offered  by  the  various  organizations  re- 
ferred to,  only  a  small  portion  of  the  whole  popula- 
tion is  reached.  To  the  great  mass  of  the  people, 
even  of  those  who  care  to  read  good  literature,  the 
free  public  library  comes  as  the  first  and  only  oppor- 
tunity. Something  about  the  fact  and  the  sense  of 
ownership  in  the  library,  through  its  being  the  people's 
own,  supported  by  taxation  and  governed  by  their 
representatives,  makes  the  average  man  accept  and 
use  to  their  utmost  the  opportunities  of  the  public 
library,  while  he  will  turn  aside  from  library  privileges 
in  any  other  guise.  There  is  always  a  marked  con- 
trast between  the  use  of  even  a  free  reference-library 
like  the  Astor,  and  the  reference  department  of  a  city 
library  like  that  of  Boston,  to  the  advantage  of  the 

3  On  second  thought  it  was  deemed  unwise  to  attempt  to 
include  here,  as  had  been  intended,  a  statistical  account  of  club 
libraries.  Such  libraries  can  hardly  be  called  even  semi-public; 
at  the  same  time,  some  of  them  will  bear  comparison  as  to 
extent  and  excellence  with  many  of  the  libraries  specifically 
referred  to  in  this  chapter. 

In  a  future  edition,  should  there  seem  to  be  a  demand  for  it, 
a  more  detailed  account  of  these  may  be  inserted. 


iio  Public  Libraries  in  America 

latter.  The  inference  would  seem  to  be  that  the 
people  are  not  yet  educated  up  to  the  extensive  use 
of  a  reference  library;  and  that  such  education  will 
be  most  readily  accomplished  through  the  free  use  of 
a  circulating  department.  When  this  has  been  per- 
ceived, founders  of  libraries  have  put  the  popular 
feature  foremost,  as  in  the  case  of  the  CARNEGIE 
libraries  of  Allegheny  and  Pittsburg,  the  ENOCH  PRATT 
library  of  Baltimore,  and  many  others  of  less  note. 

For  the  American  people  the  library  of  the  future 
is  unquestionably  the  free  public  library,  which  for  the 
highest  success  must  be  truly  public,  either  established 
and  maintained  at  public  expense,  or,  if  liberally  en- 
dowed by  private  benefactions,  still  brought  under 
municipal  ownership  and,  to  some  extent,  municipal 
control.  A  library  existing  as  a  charity,  managed  by 
a  close  corporation,  will  undoubtedly  render  exceed- 
ing service ;  but  its  power  for  good  cannot  equal  that 
of  the  public  library  treated  as  part  of  the  educational 
system  of  the  State,  and  tending  ever  to  increase  the 
self-respect  and  self-reliance  of  the  community. 


CHAPTER   XIII 

PUBLIC  LIBRARIES  IN  CANADA 

.  .  .  An  union  in  partition. 

SHAKESPEARE. 

HP  HE  library  history  of  Canada  is  not  unlike  that 
-*-  of  the  United  States,  and  began  with  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  subscription  library  in  Quebec  in  1779 
on  a  basis  similar  to  that  of  FRANKLIN'S  Philadelphia 
institution,  started  forty-seven  years  earlier.  The 
company  embraced  officers  of  the  garrison,  leading 
merchants,  and  other  citizens,  the  Governor  being 
among  the  foremost  and  writing  to  England  on  behalf 
of  the  subscribers  for  ^500  worth  of  books,  which  were 
selected  by  RICHARD  CUMBERLAND,  the  dramatist. 

This  library,  referred  to  in  LAMBERT'S  Travels,  in 
1 806,  as  the  only  library  in  Canada,  had  a  slow  growth, 
numbering  4,000  volumes  in  1822,  and,  being  partly 
burned  with  the  Parliament  Buildings  in  1854,  con- 
tained only  7,000  when  made  over  to  the  Quebec 
Literary  and  Historical  Society  in  1866. 

While  the  province  of  Quebec  has,  both  at  Mon- 
treal and  the  city  of  Quebec,  large  university  libraries, 
it  is  only  in  the  province  of  Ontario  that  any  effort 
has  been  made  to  establish  public  libraries.  In  1848, 
just  when  the  movement  was  taking  form  in  England 
and  the  United  States,  a  school  bill  was  drafted  by  the 
Superintendent  of  Education,  Dr  RYERSON,  which  em- 


112 


Public  Libraries  in  America 


braced  provisions  for  the  formation  of  libraries,  both 
school  and  township.  Not  until  1854,  however,  was 
the  Act  passed  by  Parliament,  and  its  conditions  were 
such  that  it  did  not  in  effect  bring  about  the  establish- 
ment of  free  town  libraries,  while  it  resulted  in  the 
multiplication  of  good  school  libraries.  The  place  of 
public  libraries  was  partially  supplied  by  the  '  Mechan- 
ics Institutes '  which  were  formed  in  very  many  towns, 
and  to  which  the  Educational  Department  has  given 
small  grants  proportionate  to  the  amounts  raised  by 
them.  Over  one  hundred  towns  have  these  Institutes, 
and  in  most  cases  the  annual  fee  is  one  dollar,  addi- 
tional grants  being  made  by  the  town  or  village 
councils. 

In  1882,  a  Free  Libraries  Act  was  passed,  similar 
to  those  of  Great  Britain  and  the  United  States,  fixing 
the  maximum  of  taxation  at  one-half  mill  on  the  an- 
nual assessment.  Nine  cities  and  towns  have  availed 
themselves  of  it,  as  follows  :  — 


Name  of  Town 

When 
established 

No.  of  Vols. 
[1891] 

Berlin      

? 

T.,t£>2 

Brantford    ....          .... 

? 

8  Q77 

Chatham      

? 

•2,71  C 

? 

6,^ 

Hamilton     

1889 

l6,t?K 

St  Catherines  

? 

6,206 

Simcoe    

1868 

T  7OO 

Toronto  

1881 

67  8?4 

Waterloo     

? 

4  QOI 

The  library  at  Toronto,  altogether  the  leading  one 
in  the  list,  has  a  circulation  of  about  450,000  volumes 
annually,  rftaintains  two  branches,  and  is  supported  at 
a  cost  of  over  $40,000  per  year,  of  which  three-fourths 


Public  Libraries  in  Canada  113 

is  raised  by  taxation.  It  owes  much  of  its  success  to 
the  able  management  of  its  librarian,  Mr  JAMES  BAIN, 
Junr,  who,  holding  the  position  from  the  first,  has  car- 
ried into  its  administration  not  only  a  thorough  ac- 
quaintance with  the  best  methods  in  vogue  in  England 
and  the  United  States,  but  also  a  high  appreciation  of 
the  possibilities  latent  in  the  library  as  an  agency  for 
public  culture. 

In  the  Toronto  library  a  librarian  from  the  States 
would  feel  quite  at  home,  the  arrangement  of  the 
library  in  its  different  departments  and  the  methods  of 
administration  being  such  as  are  most  approved  among 
us.  One  exception  is  to  be  noted,  namely,  the  use  of 
the  '  indicator,'  an  apparatus  quite  common  in  the 
larger  libraries  of  Great  Britain  but  never  a  perma- 
nent accessory  in  the  United  States.1 

Outside  the  regular  public  libraries  of  Canada  (con- 

1  Its  object  is  to  indicate  whether  a  given  book  is  in  or  out, 
and  so  save  time  and  patience  of  both  applicant  and  atten'dant. 
It  consists  of  a  large  frame  containing  a  great  number  of  very 
small  pigeon-holes,  open  through  and  numbered  to  represent 
all  the  books  in  the  library.  These  holes  are  occupied  by  pins 
having  one  end  red  and  the  other  blue.  When  the  books 
are  all  in,  the  pins  present  their  red  ends  to  the  front  of  the 
counter,  and  when  one  is  taken  out  the  attendant  turns  its  pin 
end  for  end,  the  process  being  reversed  when  it  is  returned. 

If  kept  constantly  corrected  so  as  to  show  at  every  moment 
the  exact  status  of  the  library,  the  indicator  is  of  much  service, 
and  in  actual  practice  in  the  Toronto  library  it  is  highly  es- 
teemed, Mr  BAIN  expressing  surprise  that  we  do  not  use  it. 
But  the  indicator  has  not  proved  a  success  where  it  has  been 
tried  in  our  libraries ;  for  example,  in  Boston  after  an  experi- 
ment extending  over  several  years  it  was  discontinued.  No 
theory  is  offered  to  explain  the  indicator's  success  with  the 
one  public  and  failure  with  the  other.  Of  course  the  applica- 
tion of  the  indicator  to  a  very  large  library  would  be  impos- 
sible. Where  used  it  is  confined  to  the  classes  of  books  most 

8 


114  Public  Libraries  in  America 

fined,  as  has  been  stated,  to  the  province  of  Ontario), 
the  principal  semi-public  libraries  are  as  follows  :  — 

No.  of  Vols. 

Ottawa.        Parliament 150,000 

Toronto.      Legislative 70,000 

Toronto.  University  of  Toronto      .     .       37,000 

Halifax.       Legislative 12,000 

Quebec.       Legislative 40,000 

Quebec.  Laval  University      ....  100,000 

Montreal.  McGill  University    ....  75,000 

Montreal.  Montreal  College      ....  40,000 

Kingston.    Queen's  College 20,000 

In  Winnipeg  there  is  a  library  of  about  20,000  vol- 
umes, now  subject  to  a  small  fee,  but  liberally  admin- 
istered, and  likely  soon  to  become  free. 

called  for,  a  few  thousand  volumes  being  all  that  can  be  brought 
into  its  scope,  unless  it  be  made  unwieldy  and  cumbersome. 

While  on  this  subject,  it  may  be  in  place  to  refer  to  the  very 
ingenious  device  (but  one  not  commending  itself  to  librarians 
generally)  employed  in  the  Public  Library  of  Sacramento,  Cali- 
fornia, as  a  combination  of  catalogue,  charging  system,  and 
indicator.  The  library  is  arranged  as  a  hollow  square,  visitors 
being  admitted  to  its  centre,  where  on  three  sides  a  light  rail 
separates  them  from  the  alcoves.  Along  the  top  of  this  rail 
runs  a  wire  on  which  are  strung  the  catalogue  cards,  having 
two  rows  of  squares  ruled  off  near  their  lower  edge  for  punch- 
ing. When  a  book  is  drawn,  the  upper  square  of  a  pair  is 
punched,  and  when  it  is  returned  the  lower  one ;  so  that  a 
glance  at  a  card  gives  the  author,  title,  and  number  of  the  book, 
and  also  shows  whether  it  is  *  in '  or  '  out.' 


This  chapter  is  based  on  a  valuable  article  on  the  libraries  of  Can- 
ada, by  Mr  BAIN,  Librarian  at  Toronto,  in  the  Library  Journal,  xii. 
(1887),  406,  and  its  statistical  part  on  Statistics  of  Public  Libraries 
in  the  United  States  and  Canada,  issued  in  November  1893  by  the 
United  States  Bureau  of  Education.  For  farther  notice  of  these  Statis- 
tics, see  Appendix  V  to  this  work. 


CHAPTER  XIV 
THE  FUTURE   OF  THE  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

We  have  raised  expectations  that  we 
are  bound  to  fulfil. 

JUSTIN  WINSOK. 

E  cannot  observe  the  rapid  growth  of  libraries 
during  the  last  half  century  without  being  led 
to  ask  in  wonder  what  is  to  be  the  result  in  the  fu- 
ture. In  1850  there  were  in  the  United  States  about 
100  libraries  of  5,000  volumes  or  more,  aggregating 
something  like  one  million  volumes.  The  largest 
library  in  the  country  was  that  of  Harvard  College, 
numbering  70,000  volumes.  The  Boston  Public 
Library  and  the  Library  of  Congress,  now  together 
numbering  over  a  million  volumes,  were  practically 
not  in  existence.  The  Astor  had  not  been  founded, 
and  New  York  had  no  large  library  except  the  Mer- 
cantile, numbering  but  a  few  thousands. 

In  1890,  the  number  of  libraries  reported  in 
the  country  was  4,000,  and  the  number  of  volumes 
27,000,000,  at  least  fifty  libraries  having  50,000  each. 
Massachusetts  has  in  its  free  public  libraries  alone 
more  volumes  than  were  in  all  the  libraries  in  the 
United  States  in  1850.  And  the  movement  is  now 
more  rapid  than  ever  before,  as  seen  in  the  establish- 
ment of  libraries  both  by  private  beneficence  and 
by  cities  and  towns,  and  in  the  adoption  of  legisla- 
tion calculated  to  foster  and  develop  the  movement. 


1 1 6  Public  Libraries  in  America 

The  libraries  established  for  some  years  are  outgrowing 
their  buildings  and  calling  for  larger  ones,  and  those 
now  being  erected  plan  for  hundreds  of  thousands  of 
volumes  where  a  score  of  thousands  would  have  been 
deemed  sufficient  a  few  years  ago. 

There  is  a  law  affecting  the  growth  of  libraries  not 
unlike  that  of  geometric  progression.  By  the  prin- 
ciple of  noblesse  oblige,  a  library  which  has  attained 
a  certain  size  is  called  upon  to  grow  much  faster  than 
when  it  was  smaller.  Each  year's  additions  result  in 
a  good  many  books  which  are  but  beginnings  of  series 
to  be  indefinitely  continued ;  or  the  enlargement  of 
the  scope  of  the  library  by  the  purchase  of  books  in 
some  department  hitherto  neglected  makes  it  neces- 
sary to  cover  the  increased  ground  every  year  there- 
after. Not  long  ago  the  trustees  of  the  Astor  Library 
complained  that  they  could  hardly  use  any  of  their 
large  income  for  the  purchase  of  really  new  books, 
on  account  of  the  demands  for  continuation  of  series 
already  commenced.  So  with  Harvard  University  Li- 
brary, where  it  is  reported  that  over  $7,000  is  required 
annually  for  subscriptions  to  serials  and  for  other 
standing  charges  entered  against  the  income  as  liabili- 
ties to  be  met  before  a  dollar  can  be  appropriated 
for  new  books. 

As  our  numerous  libraries  grow,  this  tendency  to 
demand  largely  increasing  funds  and  to  require  larger 
and  still  larger  buildings  gives  serious  occasion  to  pause 
and  look  the  matter  over  to  see  what  can  be  done 
by  way  of  relief. 

Co-operation  between  libraries  in  one  locality  (or 
near  enough  together  to  make  co-operation  practi- 
cable) suggests  itself  as  a  partial  remedy.  Up  to  the 
present  time  nearly  every  public  library  has  pursued 


The  Future  of  the  Public  Library       1 1 7 

its  own  independent  course  in  accumulating  books 
to  the  extent  of  its  resources,  with  a  view  to  making  a 
general  and  well-rounded  collection.  Attention  is 
now  directed  to  the  fact  that  in  some  places,  as  for  ex- 
ample, in  New  York  City,  and  in  Boston  and  its 
vicinity,  several  libraries  exist  in  near  contiguity,  each 
covering  in  part  the  same  ground,  and  expending  in 
the  aggregate  large  sums  of  money  in  duplicating 
books  of  which  one  copy  would  be  enough  for  the 
neighborhood,  and  in  making  small  collections  in  a 
good  many  different  departments.  By  combining 
forces  and  agreeing  that  one  field  of  effort  should  be 
covered  by  one  library  and  a  different  one  by  another, 
much  larger  collections  could  be  secured  in  each 
specialty,  so  that  the  congeries  of  libraries  would 
practically  constitute  one  large  library  in  several 
departments. 

Each  library  must  have  certain  books  for  itself, 
even  if  this  necessitates  their  duplication  many  times 
in  the  same  community.  The  first  few  thousand  vol- 
umes, consisting  of  the  ordinary  reference  books  and 
the  standard  authors  in  various  departments,  must  be 
common  to  all  libraries,  except  those  strictly  devoted 
to  some  specialty.  But  there  certainly  should  be  such 
a  relation  between  the  different  libraries  established 
in  any  city  that  they  will  divide  between  them,  on 
some  proper  principle  of  differentiation,  the  field  of 
literature,  beyond  the  comparatively  narrow  range  of 
books  necessary  for  each  to  have.  This  principle  has 
been  happily  carried  out  in  Hartford,  Connnecticut, 
where,  in  1867  Mr  DAVID  W  ATKINSON  left  a  fund  for 
the  establishment  of  a  public  reference  library.  Very 
wisely  he  put  on  his  self-perpetuating  board  of  trus- 
tees, as  ex  officio  members,  representatives  of  the 


Ii8  Public  Libraries  in  America 

existing  libraries,  of  which  there  were  several  in  town, 
in  order  to  secure  harmonious  interworking  of  them 
all ;  and  the  result  has  been  that  each  of  the  libraries, 
having  its  own  field,  has  cultivated  it  well,  leaving  to 
the  Watkinson  Library  the  comparatively  limited  scope 
of  a  general  central  collection,  which  has  already  been 
enabled  to  attain  decided  eminence. 

It  certainly  seems  highly  desirable  that  the  relation 
thus  indicated  should  not  only  be  established  between 
the  several  libraries  in  a  city,  but  should  also  be 
made  to  include  those  of  suburban  towns  and  even 
the  important  collections  at  a  considerable  distance. 
But  while  little  has  yet  been  done  looking  to  such  an 
arrangement,  there  are  tokens  of  its  being  not  far 
distant.  Indeed  the  Crane  Free  Library  of  Quincy, 
Massachusetts,  under  the  direction,  as  president  of 
the  board  of  trustees,  of  the  Hon.  CHARLES  FRANCIS 
ADAMS,  has  lately  definitely  entered  on  the  policy  of 
curtailing  its  own  scope,  and  systematically  referring 
readers  to  other  libraries  for  such  books  as  fall  out- 
side its  prescribed  field.1 

Two  things  are  requisite  in  carrying  out  such  a 
scheme  of  co-operation:  (i)  A  duly  organized  cen- 
tral agency  of  some  kind,  and  (2)  A  low  rate  of  pos- 
tage on  library  books.  A  reduction  on  the  rate  of 
book  postage  has  been  urged  upon  Government  by  the 
associated  librarians  for  several  years  past,  but  is  not 
easily  carried.  When  the  full  meaning  of  the  request 
for  it,  and  the  good  results  aimed  at  are  seen  by  our 
legislators,  it  is  likely  to  be  secured.  As  to  central 
agencies  for  carrying  out  the  co-operative  work,  either 
the  State  Library  Commissions,  already  established 
in  some  States,  or  the  local  associations  of  librarians 

1  Annual  Report,  Crane  Library,  1893. 


The  Future  of  the  Public  Library       1 19 

and  library  trustees,  may  be  regarded  as  promising  to 
meet  the  requirement.  Under  the  direction  of  the 
Regents  of  the  University,  the  State  Library  System 
of  New  York  seems  to  be  rapidly  assuming  a  solidarity 
and  completeness  of  organization  which  promises  to 
fulfil  this  ideal  of  co-operation  among  libraries.  But 
it  remains  an  open  question  whether  it  is  wise  for 
this  work  to  be  taken  in  hand  by  Government,  or 
whether  it  may  not  better  be  done  by  voluntary  associa- 
tion.2 But  however  a  more  intimate  relation  and  co- 
working  between  individual  libraries  is  to  be  effected, 
this  is  doubtless  the  most  important  new  phase  of  the 
library  work  of  the  near  future.8 

A  combined  catalogue  of  contiguous  libraries  at 
once  occurs  as  a  hopeful  means  of  co-operation. 
There  are  many  practical  difficulties  in  the  way  of 
this  scheme,  but  a  beginning  has  been  made  in  the 
catalogue  issued  a  few  years  ago  of  periodicals  taken 
by  the  different  libraries  in  Boston  and  Cambridge, 
and  in  the  handbook  of  the  New  York  Library  Club, 
in  which  is  given  an  account  of  each  library  in  the 
city,  and  an  indication  of  the  lines  in  which  each  is 
specialized.  Co-operation  in  these  directions  is  '  in 
the  air,'  and  so  plainly  indicates  a  great  economy  of 
resources  that  it  is  sure  to  be  secured  in  one  way  or 
another. 

When  one  looks  at  the  many  respects  in  which  radi- 
cal changes  seem  impending  in  methods  of  library 

2  This  question  is  ably  discussed  by  Dr  JUSTIN  WINSOR,  Li- 
brarian of  Harvard  University,  in  an  article  in  The  Atlantic 
Monthly  for  June,  1893. 

8  Mr  HERBERT  PUTNAM  has  made  useful  suggestions  on 
library  co-operation  in  a  paper  on  '  Bibliograpic  Bureaus  '  read 
before  the  American  Library  Association  and  printed  in  the 
Library  Journal,  xii.  (1887),  409. 


I2O  Public  Libraries  in  America 

work,  in  buildings  and  catalogues  and  administration, 
it  is  easily  seen  that  the  library  movement  is  hardly 
beyond  infancy  as  yet,  and  that  its  day  of  com- 
plete development  is  far  in  the  future.  One  of  our 
university  librarians,  a  few  years  since,  addressed  the 
American  Library  Association  on  the  subject  of  'A 
Librarian's  Duty  to  his  Successors,'  pointing  out  the 
mistake  of  large  investment  of  time  or  money  in  es- 
tablished methods,  liable  soon  to  become  quite  out- 
worn and  unfit  for  the  newer  times. 

The  future  of  public  libraries  is  difficult  to  foretell. 
We  may  be  sure  that  for  many  years  yet  to  come 
libraries  will  grow  rapidly  in  size  and  number; 
that  ingenuity  rightly  applied  will  ever  be  bringing 
into  use  new  apparatus  and  new  methods,  so  that 
what  are  now  of  the  newest  will  soon  be  antiquated ; 
also  that  the  people  at  large  will  increasingly  support 
and  use  the  libraries,  and  that  the  free  public  library, 
especially,  will  take  its  place  among  the  chief  agents 
of  civilization. 


APPENDIX   I 

SCHEME  OF  CLASSIFICATION 

THE  following  scheme  of  classes  is  an  elaboration  of  the 
simple  arrangement  for  the  smallest  libraries,  given  on  page 
53.  A  few  numbers  have  been  omitted  at  the  end  of  each 
general  division  to  provide  for  the  insertion  of  additional 
classes ;  these  may,  however,  be  inserted  at  any  point  by  giv- 
ing them  the  number  of  the  preceding  class  with  a  letter  added. 
The  books  in  each  class  are  supposed  to  be  numbered  con- 
secutively. Subdivisions  may  be  made  as  needed  in  any  class 
by  assigning  blocks  of  numbers  to  a  particular  subject,  as  de- 
scribed on  page  54. 

Any  one  using  this  scheme  should  feel  free  to  change  the 
numbers  or  the  order  of  the  classes  as  may  seem  best  to  fit  the 
needs  of  a  particular  case.  The  scheme  is  offered  rather  as  a 
general  guide,  than  as  something  to  be  followed  with  absolute 
adherence  to  detail.1 


Fiction. 

English  and  American  in  one  class,  ar- 


No 

class 

number. 


ranged  alphabetically  by  authors  (anony- 
mous works  alphabetically  by  titles). 
Translations  of  foreign  fiction  also  in- 
cluded. 


1  A  separate  edition  of  this  scheme  of  classification  with  an  alpha- 
betical index  and  careful  directions  for  its  use  has  been  prepared  by 
the  publishers  of  this  book,  and  will  be  sold  by  them  at  one  dollar  per 
copy,  bound  in  cloth. 


122  Appendix  I — Classification 

Juvenile  Books. 

f      Including   not    simply    stories,   but   all 
Use  J .  in 
place  of    ]  books  calculated   for  young  readers.      Ar- 

class    ^  ranged  alphabetically  by  authors,  etc.  as 
I  above. 


English  and  American  Literature; 
Universal  Literature. 

Class  No. 

1.  Periodicals. 

2.  Miscellany  and  humor. 

3.  English  authors  (arranged  alphabetically,  with 

biographies  and  critical  works  on  each 
author  following  his  works). 

4.  American  authors  (arranged  alphabetically,  with 

biographies  and  critical  works  on  each 
author  following  his  works). 

5.  English  literature  ;  histories,  etc. 

6.  "  "          collections. 

7.  American     "  histories. 

8.  "  "          collections. 

9.  Drama  (Eng.  and  Amer.)  ;  histories  and  col- 

lections. 

10.  Poetry  (Eng.  and  Amer.)  ;  histories  and  col- 

lections. 

11.  Fiction  (Eng.  and  Amer.)  ;  histories  and  criti- 

cism. 

12.  Universal  literature ;  history,  etc. 

13.  Criticism;    science    and    art   of    poetry,   the 

drama,  fiction,  etc.,  (except  works  refer- 
ring to  the  literature  of  a  particular  lan- 
guage.) 


Appendix  I — Classification  123 


History. 

Class  No. 

15.  Philosophy  and  study  of  history. 

1 6.  History  of  civilization. 

17.  Historical  essays  and  miscellanies. 

1 8.  Chronology. 

19.  Ancient  history ;  general. 

20.  Oriental. 

21.  .       Egypt. 

22.  The  Jews. 

23.  Greece. 

24.  Rome. 

25.  Middle  Ages.     The  Crusades. 

26.  Europe,  modern. 

2  7.  England  and  Great  Britain  :  general 

28.  England ;  before  Norman  conquest 

29.  1070  to  1600. 

30.  1 7th  century. 

31.  1 8th  and  igth  centuries. 

32.  Scotland  and  Wales. 

33.  Ireland. 

34.  France ;  general. 

35.  Before  the  Revolution. 

36.  Revolution  and  to  1815. 

37.  Since  1815. 

38.  Germany.     The  Netherlands.     Belgium. 

39.  Austria  and  Hungary.    Switzerland.    The  Dan- 

ubian  and  Balkan  States. 

40.  Italy. 

41.  Spain  and  Portugal. 

42.  Greece  and  Turkey. 

43.  Russia.     Poland. 


1 24  Afpendix  I —  Classification 

History  (Continued). 

Class  No. 

44.  Scandinavia. 

45.  America  in  general. 

46.  Discovery  and  early  voyages. 

47.  Indians. 

48.  North  America ;  general. 

49.  United  States  " 

50.  Colonial  period. 

51.  Revolution.     Also  1789-1812. 

52.  War  of  1812  and  to  1860. 

53.  Civil  war. 

54.  Later  history. 

55.  New  England. 

56.  Maine.  N 

57.  New  Hampshire.         This  arrangement  is  sug- 

1:8  Vermont  gested  for  a  Kbrary  m  New 

\  England.     Elsewhere  other 

59.  Massachusetts.       F  Stat£S  wQuld  be  giyen  gped. 

60.  Connecticut.  fically. 

61.  Rhode  Island.      J 

62.  Middle  States. 

63.  Southern  States. 

64.  Western  States. 

65.  Pacific  slope.     Alaska. 

66.  Canada.     British  America. 

67.  Mexico.     Central  America.     West  Indies. 

68.  South  America. 

69.  Asia;  general. 

70.  Persia,  Arabia,  etc. 

71.  India. 

72.  China  and  Japan. 

73.  Africa;  general. 

74.  Egypt,  modern. 

75.  Australia  and  other  islands. 


Appendix  I — Classification  125 

Biography. 

Class  No. 

81.  Collective  works. 

82.  Individual  biographies  (arranged  alphabetically 

by  names  of  persons  written  about,  rather 
than  by  authors). 

Voyages  and  Travels.     Geography. 

85.  Descriptive  geography.     Atlases.     Maps. 

86.  Art  of  travel,  etc. 

87.  Voyages;  collections. 

88.  Travels  around  the  world,  etc. 

89.  North  America. 

90.  United  States. 

91.  New  England. 

92.  Middle  States. 

93.  Southern  States. 

94.  Western  States. 

95.  Pacific  slope.     Alaska. 

96.  Canada.     British  America. 

97.  Mexico.     Central  America.     W.  Indies. 

98.  South  America. 

99.  Europe ;  general. 

100.  Great  Britain. 

10 1.  France.     Spain  and  Portugal. 

102.  Germany.     Austria.     Netherlands. 

103.  Italy.     Switzerland. 

104.  Greece  and  Turkey. 

105.  Russia.     Poland. 

1 06.  Scandinavia.     Iceland. 

107.  Asia;  general. 

1 08.  Syria  and  Palestine.     Asia  Minor. 

109.  Persia,  Arabia,  etc. 


1 26  Appendix  I —  Classification 

Travels  (Continued): 

•Class  No. 

no.  India. 

in.  China.     Corea.     Japan. 

112.  Central  Asia.     Siberia. 

113.  Africa. 

114.  Northern  Africa  and  the  Desert. 

115.  Egypt.     The  Soudan.     The  Nile. 

1 1 6.  Abyssinia.     Madagascar. 

117.  Central  and  Southern  Africa. 

1 1 8.  Australia  and  Polynesia. 

119.  Polar  regions. 

1 20.  Islands. 

Sciences. 

125.  History  and  philosophy  of  the  sciences. 

126.  Scientific  societies  and  academies.    Periodicals. 

127.  Essays  and  miscellanies. 

128.  Evolution  and  cosmology. 

129.  Natural  history  (works  combining  zoology,  bot- 

any, etc.). 

130.  Biology  and  embryology. 

131.  Comparative  anatomy  and  physiology. 

132.  Zoology. 

133.  Lowest  forms  of  animal  life. 

134.  Mollusca.     Insects. 

135.  Fishes. 

136.  Reptiles. 

137.  Birds. 

138.  Mammalia. 

139.  Man.     Anthropology,  ethnology,  etc. 

140.  Botany;  general. 

141.  Cryptogamia. 

142.  Of  countries  and  localities. 


Appendix  I — Classification  127 

Sciences  (Continued'). 

Class  No. 

143.  Geology  :  general  works. 

144.  Of  countries  and  localities. 

145.  Mineralogy  and  crystallography. 

146.  Chemistry ;  general. 

147.  Inorganic. 

148.  Organic. 

149.  Analysis.     Text-books. 

150.  Physics. 

151.  Heat. 

152.  Light.     Optics. 

153.  Electricity. 

154.  Telegraph  and  telephone.     Phonograph. 

155.  Electric  lighting. 

156.  Electro-dynamics. 

157.  Sound. 

158.  Hydraulics. 

159.  Mechanics. 

1 60.  Physical  geography. 

1 6 1.  Meteorology. 

162.  Astronomy;  general. 

163.  Descriptive. 

164.  Practical. 

165^  Almanacs  (not  statistical). 

1 66.  Mathematical  sciences  :  general. 

167.  Arithmetic.     Book-keeping. 
1 6  8.  Algebra. 

169.  Geometry. 

1 70.  Higher  mathematics. 

171.  Geodesy  and  surveying. 

172.  Navigation. 


128  Appendix  I — Classification 

Useful  Arts. 

Class  No. 

179.  Useful  arts  :  general. 

1 80.  Patents.     Exhibitions. 

181.  Mechanics.     Philosophy  of  machinery. 

182.  Properties  of  materials. 

183.  Mechanical  drawing. 

184.  Hydro-mechanics.     Aeronautics. 

185.  Steam  and  the  steam  engine. 

1 86.  Marine  engineering.     Steam  navigation. 

187.  The  locomotive.     Railroads.     Street  railroads. 

1 88.  Electrical  engineering. 

189.  Civil  engineering. 

190.  Military  art  and  science. 

191.  Drainage  and  sewerage. 

192.  Water  supply. 

193.  Burial  of  the  dead.     Cremation. 

194.  Bridge  building. 

195.  Precious  metals. 

196.  Iron  and  steel ;  other  metals. 

197.  Mining.     Smelting. 

198.  Coal.     Oil.     Fuels. 

199.  Manufactures  from  metals. 

200.  Wood. 

201.  Textile.     Production  of  cotton,  wool,  etc. 

202.  Dyeing,  etc. 

203.  Chemical  technology. 

204.  Silk  culture  and  manufacture. 

205.  Carpentry  and  woodwork.     Building. 

206.  Masonry  and  brickwork. 

207.  Plumbing  and  house  sanitation. 

208.  Warming  and  ventilation. 

209.  Constructive    arts   and   trades,    not   otherwise 

specified. 


Appendix  I — Classification  129 

Useful  Arts  (Continued). 
Class  No. 

210.  Shipbuilding.     Naval  science. 

211.  Clocks,  watches,  etc.     Scientific  instruments. 

212.  Weights,  measures,  and  coinage. 

213.  Writing.      Phonography.      Type- writing,    etc. 

Business  forms. 

214.  Printing.     Bookbinding. 

215.  Mechanic  arts  not  already  specified. 

216.  Domestic  economy. 

217.  Cookery  and  foods. 

218.  Hygiene.     Public  health. 

219.  Physical  culture.     Athletics. 
2  20.  Outdoor  sports  :  general. 

221.  Hunting  and  fishing. 

222.  Boating. 

223.  Cycling. 

224.  Horse-racing.    The  horse.    Veterinary  science. 

225.  The  dog.     Falconry,  etc. 

226.  Poultry.     Pigeons.     Pet  animals. 

227.  Human  anatomy  and  physiology. 

228.  Medicine;   general. 

229.  Practical. 

230.  Nursing. 

231.  Agriculture;  general. 

232.  Domestic  animals.     The  dairy. 

233.  Care  of  lands.     Agricultural  drainage. 

234.  Forestry  and  hydrology. 

235.  Landscape  gardening.     Parks.     Cemeteries. 

236.  Crops  and  their  treatment. 

237.  Horticulture. 

238.  Floriculture. 

239.  Special  products;  honey,  sugar,  tobacco,  etc. 

240.  Fisheries ;  sea  products. 

9 


130  Appendix  I — Classification 
Fine  Arts,  etc. 

Class  No. 

245.  History,  philosophy,  and  study  of  the  fine  arts. 

246.  ^Esthetics. 

247.  Archaeology. 

248.  Painting ;  history  and  general  works. 

249.  Italian  school. 

250.  Other  continental  schools. 

251.  British  and  American. 

252.  Practical  works. 

253.  Galleries  and  collections. 

254.  Sculpture ;  general  and  modern. 

255.  Ancient. 

256.  Monumental  art.     Inscriptions. 

257.  Numismatics. 

258.  Bronzes.     Bric-a-brac. 

259.  Pottery  and  porcelain. 

260.  Architecture;  general. 

261.  Ancient. 

262.  Mediaeval  and  modern. 

263.  Practical  works. 

264.  Decoration  and  ornament. 

265.  Drawing  and  design. 

266.  Art  needlework,  etc.     Costume. 

267.  Illumination,  alphabets,  etc. 

268.  Engraving. 

269.  Collections  of  engravings,  photographs,  etc. 
2  70.  Photography. 

271.  Music;  history  and  general  works. 

272.  Instruments. 

273.  Singing.     The  voice. 

274.  Elocution  and  oratory. 

275.  Selections  for  recitation,  etc. 


Appendix  I — Classification  131 

Fine  Arts,  etc.  (Continued). 

Class  No. 

276.  Indoor  amusements. 

277.  Games. 

Political  and  Social. 

2  79.  Political  science  ;  general.     Government. 

280.  Collected  works  of  statesmen. 

281.  Freedom  and  democracy. 

282.  Suffrage  and  representation. 

283.  Administration.     Civil  service. 

284.  Municipal  government. 

285.  Taxation.     Public  funds  and  debts. 

286.  Protection  and  free  trade. 

287.  English  constitution  and  government. 

288.  Other    governments,  outside    of    the    United 

States. 

289.  United  States  government. 

290.  Slavery  and  secession.    The  negroes. 

291.  Indians  and  the  United  States. 

292.  Immigration.     Foreign  element. 

293.  Temperance  in  politics. 

294.  Public  lands. 

295.  United  States  finances. 

296.  Foreign  relations. 

297.  Party  politics.     Presidential  elections. 

298.  Congress. 

299.  Public  documents ;  United  States  and  States. 

300.  Law ;    general. 

301.  International  law. 

302.  Common  law;  text-books.     Law  reports. 

303.  Criminal  law  and  trials. 

304.  Law  of  patents  and  copyright. 

305 .  Statutes. 


132  Appendix  I — Classification 
Political  and  Social  (Continued'). 

Class  No. 

306.  Political  economy. 

307.  Land  and  its  tenure. 

308.  Labor  and  wages.     Prices.     Cooperation. 

309.  Trade  unions. 

310.  Capital  and  investments.     Interest. 

311.  Finance  and  banking.     Money. 

312.  Corporations.     Monopolies. 

313.  Socialism.     Communism. 

314.  Population. 

315.  Marriage  and  divorce.     The  family. 

316.  Woman  question. 

317.  Pauperism. 

318.  Public  charities  and  corrections. 

319.  Prisons.     Reformatories. 

320.  Crime. 

321.  Children,  destitute  and  criminal. 

322.  Asylums. 

323.  Deaf  and  dumb,  blind,  idiots,  etc. 

324.  Insanity  and  insane  asylums. 

325.  Relief  associations.     Building  societies. 

326.  Freemasons. 

327.  Other  secret  societies. 

328.  Clubs,  etc. 

329.  Insurance. 

330.  Education;   history,  philosophy,  etc. 

331.  Organization  and  superintendence. 

332.  Teaching  and  accessory  work. 

333.  School  discipline,  buildings,  and  hygiene. 

334.  Kindergarten;  child -culture. 

335.  Education  of  women. 

336.  Classical  studies ;  collegiate  education. 

337.  Technical  and  industrial  training. 


Appendix  I — Classification  133 

Political  and  Social  (Continued). 

Class  No. 

338.  Professional  training. 

339.  Educational  institutions. 

340.  Chautauqua.    Home  culture.    Summer  schools. 

University  extension. 

341.  Education  in  relation  to  religion  and  morals. 

342.  Statistics;  methods,  etc.     Census  reports. 

343.  Almanacs  and  annuals. 

344.  Other  statistical  works. 

345.  Commerce,  general. 

346.  Of  the  United  States. 

347.  Of  other  countries. 

348.  Internal  commerce.     Railroad  transportation. 

Local  transit. 

349.  Water  transportation,  canals,  etc. 

350.  Post-office  ;  telegraph  and  telephone. 

Philosophy  and  Religion. 

352.  Philosophy;  history,  etc. 

353.  General  works.     Systems,  etc. 

354.  Miscellanies. 

355.  Metaphysics. 

356.  Logic. 

357.  Psychology. 

358.  The  will. 

359.  Memory. 

360.  Sleep,  dreams,  somnambulism. 

361.  Mesmerism.     Psychical  research. 

362.  Spiritualism,  magic,  witchcraft,  etc. 

363.  Phrenology  and  physiognomy. 

364.  Moral  philosophy. 

365.  Practical  morals  ;  general. 


134  Appendix  I — Classification 

Philosophy  and  Religion  (Continued). 

Class  No. 

366.  Temperance,  tobacco,  etc. 

367.  Amusements,  Ethics  of. 

368.  Manners  and  customs. 

369.  Minor  morals,  etiquette. 

370.  Religion  and  theology ;  history  and  philosophy. 

371.  Natural  theology.    Science  and  religion.    Evi- 

dences. 

372.  Miracles.     Prayer. 

373.  Mythology;  general. 

374.  Scandinavian  and  northern. 

375.  The  Bible,  whole  or  parts. 

376.  Inspiration,  interpretation,  authority,  etc. 

377.  Concordances,  dictionaries,  illustrative  works. 

378.  Commentaries;  whole  Bible. 

379.  Old  Testament  and  parts  thereof. 

380.  New         "  "  " 

381.  Judaism. 

382.  Christian  theology,  general  and  historical. 

383.  Jesus  Christ,  the  atonement,  etc. 

384.  Death  and  the  future  state. 

385.  Other  doctrines. 

386.  Sermons  and  didactic  works. 

387.  Devotional  books.     Sunday-school  books. 

388.  The  church;  general. 

389.  Ecclesiastical  history. 

390.  Greek  church. 

391.  Roman  Catholic  church. 

392.  The  Reformation. 

393.  Protestantism. 

394.  Toleration  and  persecution  ;  religious  liberty. 

395.  Church  of  England  and  Episcopal  church. 

396.  Methodist  Episcopal  denomination. 


Appendix  I — Classification  135 

Philosophy  and  Religion  (Continued). 

Class  No. 

397.  Baptist  denomination. 

398.  Presbyterian  denomination. 

399.  Congregational  denomination. 

400.  Unitarian  and  Universalist  denominations. 

401.  Other  Christian  denominations. 

402.  The  Sabbath. 

403.  Public  worship.     Private  and  family  worship. 

404.  Sacraments. 

405 .  Preaching. 

406.  Hymnology  and  church  music. 

407.  The  Sunday  school;  church  accessories. 

408.  Missions ;  general  and  foreign. 

409.  Home. 

410.  City. 

411.  Y.  M.  C.  A.  and  similar  organizations. 

412.  Mohammedanism. 

413.  Buddhism  and  other  Oriental  religions. 

414.  Heathenism. 

415.  Mormons,  Shakers,  etc. 

416.  Free  thought.     Rationalism.     Positivism. 


Language  and  Literature. 

(English  and  American  Literatures  and  Universal  Literature  excepted.) 

421.  Science  of  language. 

422.  Comparative  philology. 

423.  Indo-European  languages. 

424.  Other  families  of  speech  (not  elsewhere  speci- 

fied). 

425.  Folk-lore  and  popular  antiquities. 

426.  Proverbs. 


136  Appendix  I — Classification 

Language  and  Literature  (Continued). 

Class  No. 

427.  Myths  and  romances. 

428.  Classical  languages  and  literature ;  general. 

429.  Greek  language,  text-books,  etc. 

430.  Greek  authors. 

431.  Latin  language,  text-books,  etc. 

432.  Latin  authors. 

433.  English  language,  general. 

434.  Gothic,  Anglo-Saxon,  and  early  English ;  text- 

books, also  literature. 

435.  English  grammar,  usage  and  spelling. 

436.  English  composition.     Rhetoric  (English  and 

other) . 

437.  English  dictionaries,  synonymy,  etc. 

438.  English  dialects.     Americanisms. 

439.  French  language ;  text-books,  etc. 

440.  French  literature  ;  histories,  collections,  etc. 

441.  French  authors. 

442.  German  language;  text-books,  etc. 

443.  German  literature  ;  histories,  etc. 

444.  German  authors. 

445.  Italian  language  and  literature. 

446.  Italian  authors. 

447.  Spanish  and  Portuguese  languages  and  litera- 

tures. 

448.  Spanish  and  Portuguese  authors. 

449.  Scandinavian  languages  and  literatures. 

450.  Scandinavian  authors. 

451.  Other  European  languages  and  literatures. 

452.  Sanskrit  and  other  Indian  languages  and  litera- 

tures. 

453.  Semitic  languages  and  literatures. 

454.  Chinese  and  Japanese  languages  and  literatures. 


Appendix  I — Classification  137 

Language  and  Literature  (Continued}, 

Class  No. 

455.  African  languages  and  literatures. 

456.  American  Indian  languages  and  literatures. 

Reference-books  and  Special  Classes. 

(In  librarian's  room  and  delivery  room.) 

461.  Library  economy. 

462.  Bibliography. 

463.  Manuscripts  and  rarities. 

464.  Catalogues  of  libraries. 

465.  National  and  trade  bibliography. 

(In  reading-room  or  reference-room.) 

466.  Cyclopaedias ;  ordinary  reference  books. 

467.  Newspaper  files. 

468.  Pamphlets. 

NOTE.  —  Classes  numbered  461  to  468  will  naturally  be  dif- 
ferently treated  according  to  circumstances.  The  arrangement 
and  numbering  here  given  are  merely  suggestions. 


APPENDIX  II 

A  FEW  LIBRARIES  HAVING  SPECIAL  COLLECTIONS 

N.  B.  —  The  numbers  following  the  names  of  the  libraries 
refer  to  the  list  of  subjects  on  the  opposite  page. 


A       Albany,  N.  Y.      .    . 

State  Library  .... 

4,   5° 

B        Amherst,  Mass.    .     . 

Amherst  College.     .     . 

37,   Si 

C        Ann  Arbor,  Mich. 

Univ  of  Michigan  .     . 

3«,    74 

D        Baltimore,  Md.     .    . 

Johns  Hopkins  Univ.  . 

75,    7»,    80 

E        Boston,  Mass.  .    .     . 

Athenaeum  Library  .    . 

66,   81 

F         Boston,  Mass.  .     .     . 

Public  Library    .    .     • 

29,    32,   74i 

,   76 

G        Boston,  Mass.  .     .    . 

State  Library  .... 

50,   67 

H        Brooklyn,  N.  Y.    .    . 

Institute  Library      .     . 

36 

J         Brooklyn,  N.  Y.    .     . 

L.  I.  Histor.  Society    . 

4 

K       Cambridge,  Mass. 

Harvard  University 

4,    21,  25, 

31,  37,  52,  75 

L        Chicago,'  111.     .     .    . 

Newberry  Library    .     . 

4,   5,   58 

M       Chicago,  111.     .     .    . 

Public  Library     .     .     . 

M,   7* 

N        Easton,  Penn.  .     .     . 

Lafayette  College    .    . 

7 

O        Hartford,  Conn.    .     . 

Theological  Seminary  . 

13,  41 

P         Hartford,  Conn.    .     . 

State  Library  .... 

50 

Q        Haverford,  Penn.  .     . 

Haverford  College   . 

35 

R        Ithaca,  N.  Y.   .     .     . 

Cornell  University   .     . 

3i,  34,   39i 

48.   65,    75 

S        Lewiston,  Me.  .     .     . 

Bates  College  .... 

63 

T        Madison,  N.  J.     .     . 

Drew  Theol.   Seminary 

4'i    54 

U        Madison,  Wis.  .     .     . 

State  Histor  Society     . 

4,    52,    74, 

82 

V        Madison,  Wis.  .     .     . 

Univ.  of  Wisconsin  .     . 

60 

W       Marietta,  O.     .    .     . 

Marietta  Colle  ;e  .     .     . 

57 

X        New  Bedford,  Mass. 

Public  Library    ... 

35 

Y        New  Brunswick,  N.J. 

Theological  Seminary  . 

'3,   27 

Z        New  Haven,  Conn.    . 

Yale  University   . 

4,    19,    23, 

46,   62,   71 

A  A     New  York,  N.  Y.      . 

American  Geog  Society 

36 

BB     New  York,  N.  Y.      . 

Am.  Mus.  Nat   Hist.  . 

59,   63 

CC     New  York,  N.  Y.      . 

Astor  Library  .... 

42,68 

DD    New  York,  N.  Y.      . 

Columbia  College    .     . 

I,  8,  25,  38,  40,  48.  S3,  74 

EE     New  York,  N.  Y.      . 

Lenox  Library     .     .    . 

2,  4,  5l    12, 

13,  '5.  l6>  24, 

33,  SD,  S3,  74 

FF     New  York,  N.  Y. 

Union  Theol.  Seminary 

41 

GG     New  York,  N.  Y.      . 

Y.  M.  C.  A  

29,   30,  63 

HH   Oberlin,  O  

Oberlin  College   .     .     . 

75 

JJ       Philadelphia,  Penn.  . 
KK    Philadelphia,  Penn.  . 

Academy  Nat.  Science 
Franklin  Institute     .     . 

59,    63 
28-    79 

LL     Philadelphia,  Penn.  . 

Historical  Soc.  of  Penn. 

22,   34 

MM    Philadelphia,  Penn.  . 

Library  Company    .     . 

I7>   2°i   37, 

41,    80 

NN    Philadelphia,  Penn.  . 

Mercantile  Library  .     . 

45,  47,   80 

OO     Philadelphia,  Penn.  . 

University  of  Penn.     . 

6,   19,   21, 

46,  65,  67,  77 

PP     Princeton,  N.  J.    .     . 

Princeton  College     .     . 

7,   9,    1°)   2 

5,   80 

QQ     Princeton,  N.  J.   .     . 

Theological  Seminary  . 

n,   69 

RK     Providence,   R.  I.     . 

Brown  University    .     . 

3,    74 

SS      Providence,  R.  I.     . 

Public  Library     .     .     . 

67i   75»  80 

TT     St  Louis,  Mo.  .     .     . 

Public  Library    •     .     . 

37,  44,  49, 

59,   64,  67 

UU     St  Paul,  Minn.     .     . 

Historical  Society     .     . 

43,   61 

VV     Salem,  Mass.    .     .     . 

Essex  Institute     .     .     . 

18,   26,   30 

WW  San  Francisco,  Cal.   . 

Sutro  Library  .... 

42,   55,   73 

XX    Syracuse,  N.  Y.     .     . 

Syracuse  University 

34 

YY     Wellesley,  Mass.  .     . 

Wellesley  College  .  .    . 

44 

ZZ     Woodstock,  Md.  .    . 

Woodstock  College.    . 

13,   7° 

Appendix  II — Special  Collections          139 


APPENDIX  II 

SPECIAL  COLLECTIONS  IN  SOME  AMERICAN  LIBRARIES 

N.  B.  —  The  letters  following  the  subjects  refer  to  the 
libraries  in  the  list  on  the  opposite  page. 


1  Administrative  law  .     .     .     DD  45 

2  Aldines EE  46 

3  American  poetry.     .     .     .     RR  47 

4  Americana   A,  J,  K,  L,  U,  Z,  EE  48 

5  Angling L,  EE  49 

6  Arabic  literature      .     .     .      OO  50 

7  Anglo-Saxon.     .     .     .       N,  PP  51 

8  Architecture DD  52 

9  ARISTOTLE  .....       PP  53 

10  Astronomy PP  54 

11  Baptism QQ  55 

12  BEWICK EE  56 

13  Bibles   .     .     .     .  O,  Y,  EE,  ZZ  57 

14  Bohemian  literature      .     .         M  58 

15  BUNYAN EE  59 

16  BURNS,  ROBERT    .     .    .      EE  60 

17  Chess MM  61 

18  China VV  62 

19  Chinese  literature    .     .     •  Z,  OO  63 

20  Cincinnati,  Society  of  .     .     MM  64 

21  Classics K,  OO  65 

22  Colonial  laws LL  66 

23  Congregationalism  ...         Z 

24  Cruikshank EE 

25  DANTE      .     .     .    .  K,  DD,  PP  67 

26  Directories VV 

27  Dutch  theology  ....         Y  68 

28  Electricity KK  69 

29  Engravings    ....      F,  GG 

30  Fine  arts GG,  VV  70 

Fish  and  fishing  (See  Angling)  71 

31  Folklore  and  romances      .  K,  R  72 

32  FRANKLIN,  BENJAMIN    .         F  73 

33  French  literature     .     .     .       EE  74 

34  French  revolution    .  R,  LL,  XX 

35  Friends,  Society  of  .     .     .    Q,  X  75 

36  Geography     .     .     .     .     H,  A  A  76 

37  Geology     .     .      B,  K,  MM,  TT 

38  GOETHE C,  DD 

39  History R 

40  Huguenots DD 

41  Hymnology     .     O,  T,  FF,  MM 

42  Incunabula     .     .     .      CC,  WW 

43  Indians,  American  .     .     .     UU  81 

44  Indians,   American,    Lan-  82 

guage  of      ....  TT,  YY 

NOTE.  —  This  page  and  the  preceding  one  have  been  compiled  from  Harvard 
Bibliographical  Contributions,  No.  45,  by  W.  C.  LANE  and  C.  K.  BOLTON ( Cam- 
bridge, 1892),  which  consult  for  additional  and  more  detailed  information. 


Ireland NX 

Japanese  literature  .     .       Z,  OO 

JUNIUS NN 

KANT R,  DL> 

Kindergarten       ....      TT 

Law A,  G,  P 

Lichenology B 

Maps K,  U 

MARY,  Queen  of  Scots     .      DD 

Methodism T 

Mexico WW 

MILTON EE 

Mississippi  Valley  ...         W 

Music L,  EE 

Natural  history  .  BB,  JJ,  TT 
Norse  literature  ..."  V 
Northwest,  The  ...  UU 
Oriental  languages  ...  Z 
Ornithology  .  .  S,  BB,  GG,  JJ 

Pedagogy TT 

Philology,  Comparative  .  R,  OO 
Photographs,  Bratin  .  .  E 
Poetry,  American  (See 

American  poetry) 
Political  economy        G,  OO,  SS, 
TT 

Printing,  Early  .... 
Puritan  writers    .... 
Quakers  (See  Friends) 
Roman  Catholic  literature 
Russian  literature    .     .     . 
Scandinavian  literature 
Semitic  literature 
Shakespeariana  .     C,  F,  U,  DD, 
EE,  RR 

Slavery.  .  D,  K,  R,  HH,  SS 
Spanish  and  Portuguese 

literature F 

Spiritualism OO 

Switzerland,  History,  etc.  D 
Technical  science  .  .  .  KK 
United  States.  Civil  war  .  D, 
MM,  NN,  PP,  SS 
WASHINGTON,  GEORGE  .  E 
West,  The U 


CC 
QQ 

ZZ 
Z 
M 

WW 


APPENDIX  III 
SUNDAY  OPENING  OF  LIBRARIES 

MANY  of  the  larger  public  libraries  are  open  during 
some  part  of  Sunday  for  the  use  of  books  in  the 
building. 

In  one  city  and  town  after  another,  beginning  with 
Cincinnati  in  1870,  the  question  has  been  brought 
up  and  discussed,  with  the  nearly  uniform  result  of  a 
favorable  decision,  owing  largely  to  a  strong  backing 
of  the  movement  by  clergymen  and  other  religious 
and  moral  leaders. 

Sunday  opening  has  now  passed  the  stage  of  theory 
and  experiment,  as  is  evidenced  by  the  following  ex- 
pressions from  prominent  librarians,  cited  in  an  elabo- 
rate paper  on  this  subject  presented  to  the  St  Louis 
Conference  of  the  American  Library  Association  in 
1889,  by  Miss  MARY  S.  CUTLER,  of  the  New  York  State 
Library ;  and  her  paper,  with  the  discussion  that  fol- 
lowed its  reading,  will  be  found  in  the  Library  Journal, 
xiv.  (1889),  176-191,  279-281. 

Dr  W.  F.  POOLE,  of  Chicago,  says,  — 

'  I  have  for  twenty  years  been  theoretically  and  prac- 
tically in  favor  of  Sunday  opening.' 

Mr  S.  S.  GREEN,  Librarian  of  the  Worcester  Public 
Library,  says,  — 

'  I  am  confident  that  the  cause  of  good  morals  has  been 
largely  promoted  by  having  it  [the  reading-room]  open 
on  Sunday.' 


Appendix  III —  Sunday  Opening        141 

Mr  J.  N.  LARNED,  Librarian  of  the  Buffalo  Library, 
says,  — 

'  The  results  .  .  .  have  more  than  vindicated  the  wis- 
dom of  those  who  advocated  this  measure,  and  have  re- 
moved, I  think,  whatever  slight  hesitancies  there  may 
have  been  in  conservative  minds.' 

Miss  E.  M.  COE,  Librarian  of  the  New  York  Free 
Circulating  Library,  says,  — 

'  The  result  of  the  Sunday  work  seems  to  answer  every 
objection  which  can  be  made  to  Sunday  opening.' 

Mr  JUSTIN  WINSOR,  then  librarian  of  the  Public  Li- 
brary of  Boston,  said  in  1877,  — 

*  People  who  were  once  tortured  with  the  idea  [of  Sun- 
day opening]  now  accept  it.  ...  I  do  not  believe  in  forc- 
ing; I  do  believe  in  ripening.  In  any  community  the  time 
for  benefactions  and  philanthropy  on  Sunday  will  ripen 
in  the  end.' 

To  Miss  CUTLER'S  paper  was  appended  a  tabular 
statement  of  the  replies  received  from  222  libraries 
to  which  she  sent  a  letter  of  inquiry.  Under  the 
head  of  reasons  for  or  against,  many  interesting  and 
some  amusing  remarks  are  quoted.  A  perusal  of  the 
whole  statement  will  afford  a  good  general  idea  of 
public  sentiment  on  this  question  in  the  different 
communities. 

A  summary  of  the  statistical  table  shows  that  of  the 
libraries  from  which  answers  were  received,  the  follow- 
ing number  were  open  on  some  part  of  Sunday ;  35 
out  of  105  free  libraries,  12  out  of  40  subscription 
libraries,  12  out  of  59  college  libraries,  and  3  out  of 
ii  theological  seminary  libraries. 

In  only  about  six  public  libraries  in  the  country,  all 


142       Appendix  III —  Sunday  Opening 

located  in  the  West,  are  books  delivered  on  Sunday  for 
home  use. 

The  question  of  Sunday  opening  has  been  much  dis- 
cussed on  religious  and  moral  grounds.  While  serious 
objection  to  it  is  made  by  strict  constructionists  of 
the  sacredness  of  the  day,  it  is  held  by  many  that 
a  just  view  of  the  Christian  rest-day,  in  which  '  it 
is  lawful  to  do  good,'  justifies  and  demands  such  pro- 
vision for  the  needs  of  the  people  as  Sunday  opening 
affords.  If  the  people  are  not  shut  out  from  the 
public  park  on  Sunday,  why  should  they  be  excluded 
from  the  library?  When  the  question  is  looked  at 
from  a  humanitarian  and  charitable  point  of  view,  it  is 
generally  conceded  that  the  positive  social  and  moral 
advantages  of  this  movement  outweigh  all  the  argu- 
ments against  it. 


APPENDIX  IV 

GIFTS  TO  LIBRARIES 

ATTENTION  has  been  called  in  the  first  chapter  of 
this  book  (page  18)  to  the  remarkable  manner  in 
which  the  progress  of  the  library  movement  has  been 
signalized  by  bequests  and  donations  from  individuals. 
The  table  occupying  the  following  pages  exhibits  some 
of  the  chief  of  these  gifts,  but  is  confined  to  the 
larger  ones,  nearly  every  one  mentioned  amounting  to 
$50,000  or  more. 

If  space  permitted,  it  would  be  interesting  to  extend 
the  list  to  include  the  numerous  smaller  gifts,  made  not 
so  often  to  found  a  library  or  provide  it  with  a  building, 
as  to  furnish  it  with  the  means  of  procuring  books  in 
some  special  department.  This  is  the  case  with  many 
of  the  instances  given  in  Appendix  II.  It  is  matter 
for  surprise  how  large  a  showing  will  be  made  by  a  small 
annual  sum  wisely  expended  in  a  collection  of  books. 
A  fund  of  $1,000,  left  to  Amherst  College  by  the  late 
Revd  JONATHAN  BRACE,  D.D.,  has  in  twelve  years  pro- 
vided a  fine  collection  of  modern  theology,  the  fund 
remaining  intact.  In  the  Boston  Public  Library  a 
fund  of  $2,000  supports  the  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  col- 
lection, and  one  of  $4,000  the  TICKNOR  Library  of 
Spanish  and  Portuguese  literature ;  a  fund  of  $3,000 
maintains  the  collection  of  books  on  Ohio  in  the  Cin- 
cinnati Public  Library.  Many  other  examples  might 
be  given  to  show  the  exceeding  utility  of  such  funds. 

How  can  a  small  sum  of  money  be  invested  to  do 
more  good,  and  bring  greater  honor  through  the  years 
to  the  name  of  its  donor? 


144          Appendix  IV —  Gifts  to  Libraries 


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Appendix  IV — Gifts  to  Libraries          145 


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146  Appendix  IV — Gifts  to  Libraries 


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APPENDIX  V 


STATISTICS 

ONE  HUNDRED  LARGEST  FREE  PUBLIC  LI- 
BRARIES IN  THE    UNITED  STATES 

USE  has  been  made  of  the  best  available  informa- 
tion in  getting  at  the  names  of  the  libraries  entitled 
to  a  place  in  the  following  list.  Omissions  to  which 
attention  may  be  called  will  be  rectified  in  future 
editions. 

It  is  interesting  to  observe  that  only  three  or  four 
free  public  libraries  in  the  country  beyond  the  hun- 
dred here  named  have  over  10,000  volumes,  so  that 
the  number  exceeding  that  limit  of  size  may  fairly 
be  placed  at  one  hundred. 

In  nearly  every  case  the  facts  and  figures  here  given 
were  obtained  by  direct  inquiry  from  the  libraries 
themselves,  during  November,  1893. 


148       Appendix    V — One  Hundred  Libraries 


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Appendix  V —  One  Hundred  Libraries       149 


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150        Appendix   V — One  Hundred  Libraries 


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Appendix   V — One  Hundred  Libraries       151 


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CHARLES  ESTABROOK 
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LOUISE  L.  BARTLETT 

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152  Appendix  V 


DISTRIBUTION  OF  LIBRARIES 

Since  the  foregoing  table  was  prepared,  the  United 
States  Bureau  of  Education  has  issued  Statistics  of 
Public  Libraries  in  the  United  States,  which  aims  to 
present  the  details  regarding  all  public  or  semi-public 
libraries  of  1,000  volumes  or  over.  The  number  re- 
ported is  3,804.  Besides  the  statistical  tables,  the 
pamphlet  includes  an  interesting  comparative  state- 
ment prepared  by  Mr  WESTON  FLINT,  Statistician  of 
the  Bureau,  and  Dr  HARRIS'S  letter  of  transmittal,  itself 
a  strong  argument  for  the  public  library. 

But  neither  in  this  report  nor  elsewhere  is  there  to 
be  found  a  definite  statement,  apart  from  other  statis- 
tics, of  the  number,  size,  and  distribution  of  free 
public  libraries  in  the  United  States.  The  following 
table  and  diagram,  based  on  this  government  report, 
have  therefore  been  prepared  to  show  the  relative 
standing  of  the  different  States  in  regard  to  such 
institutions.  Only  those  are  embraced  in  this  presen- 
tation which  properly  meet  the  requirements  of  the 
term  '  free  public  library '  by  providing  free  circula- 
tion as  well  as  free  reference. 

Twenty  States  are  included  in  the  exhibit  thus 
given.  So  far  as  indicated  by  the  government  report, 
the  remaining  States  may  be  classed  as  follows  :  — 
Four  States  report  two  libraries :  each  :  Georgia,  Mis- 
sissippi, Montana,  South  Dakota.  Ten  States  report 
one  each :  Arkansas,  Florida,  Louisiana,  Maryland, 
Nebraska,  Tennessee,  Texas,  Washington,  West  Vir- 

1  The  only  libraries  considered  are  free  public  libraries  of 
1,000  volumes  or  over. 


Appendix   V — Distribution  of  Libraries      153 

ginia,  Wyoming.  And  ten  States  report  none  :  Ala- 
bama, Delaware,  Idaho,  Kentucky,  Nevada,  North 
Carolina,  North  Dakota,  Oregon,  South  Carolina, 
Virginia. 

It  thus  appears  that  of  the  nearly  4,000  libraries 
included  in  this  report  (a  number  often  cited  as  show- 
ing the  present  extent  of  the  public  library  move- 
ment) only  566,  or  a  little  more  than  one- eighth, 
are  in  a  true  sense  public.  Over  one- half  are  con- 
nected with  schools  or  colleges ;  this  has  no  reference 
to  public- school  or  district- school  libraries,  which 
rarely  reach  1,000  volumes,  but  only  to  the  libraries 
maintained  for  the  use  of  the  schools.  About  one- 
fourth  belong  to  societies  and  other  organizations  not 
open  to  the  public,  and  the  remaining  one-eighth  are 
subscription  or  association  libraries  which  are  some- 
what allied  to  the  public  libraries,  properly  so  called. 

But  it  must  be  remembered  that  in  the  smaller 
towns  are  many  libraries  of  great  value  to  the  com- 
munity, although  they  have  not  yet  reached  the  size 
entitling  them  to  representation  in  this  government 
report ;  nearly  one  hundred  such  are  in  Massachu- 
setts alone. 

It  is  therefore  necessary,  as  in  the  case  of  statistics 
generally,  to  guard  against  misconceptions  of  the 
scope  and  intent  of  the  figures  he*e  given. 


154 


Appendix   V 


State 

No.  of 
Free 
Libraries 

Supported 
by 
Taxation 

Total 
Volumes 

No.  Vols. 
for  1,000 
Population 

Massachusetts  . 

212 

179 

2,760,000 

!>233 

New  Hampshire 

42 

34 

175,000 

464 

Illinois      .     .     . 

42 

35 

520,000 

130 

Michigan  .     .     . 

38 

26 

293,000 

139 

Rhode  Island    . 

26 

13 

l8o,OOO 

522 

New  York     .     . 

24 

it 

33  5.°°° 

56 

Indiana     .     .     . 

23 

13 

1  50,000 

68 

Connecticut  .     . 

23 

2OO,OOO 

269 

California     .     . 

21 

18 

2IO,OOO 

174 

Ohio     .... 

21 

IS 

395,000 

107 

Iowa    .... 

16 

ii 

68,000 

35 

Vermont  .     .     . 

IS 

i 

100,000 

300 

Maine  .... 

14 

8 

93,000 

140 

Wisconsin     .     . 

9 

9 

120,000 

7i 

Kansas     .     .     . 

9 

7 

32.000 

21 

New  Jersey  .     . 

9 

4 

IOO.OCO 

69 

Minnesota    .     . 

8 

7 

105.000 

73 

Pennsylvania 

7 

o 

35,000 

7 

Missouri  .     .     . 

4 

i 

104,000 

39 

Colorado  .     .     . 

3 

2 

20,000 

48 

Note  to  2d  edition.  —  As  to  New  York,  it  should  be  said  that 
the  public-school  libraries  (not  included  in  the  statistics  here 
given)  go  far  to  make  up  for  the  lack  of  others,  especially  where 
they  have  been  consolidated  as  '  Union  '  or  '  Central '  libra- 
ries. Including  these,  the  report  for  1893  on  libraries  in  New 
York  gives  a  list  of  137  free  libraries  of  over  1,000  volumes 
each,  with  a  total  of  over  800,000  volumes,  or  142  for  every 
1,000  of  population. 

The  following  libraries  in  the  State  of  New  York  should  have 
been  included  in  the  table  of  '  One  hundred  largest  free  public 
libraries,'  p.  151.  Their  omission  was  due  to  the  fact  that  each 
of  them  is  connected  with  an  institution  having  paid  member- 
ship. But  they  are  actually  free  to  the  public  for  circulation 
as  well  as  for  reference  :  — 

Apprentices'  Library,  N.  Y.  City  ....  97,000  vols. 

Pratt  Institute,  Brooklyn 45»2OO     " 

Young  Men's  Association.  Troy   ....  31,258     " 

Aguilar  Free  Library,  N.  Y.  City  ....  21,363     " 


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APPENDIX  VI 

LIBRARY  RULES 

THE  rules  of  the  Public  library  of  Newark,  New 
Jersey,  Mr  FRANK  P.  HILL,  Librarian,  are  here  given, 
being  in  the  main  those  in  use  in  the  best  class  of 
libraries  generally. 

ARTICLE  i.  The  library  shall  be  open  for  the  delivery 
and  return  of  books  every  week  day  from  9  A.  M.  to  8.30 
?.  M  ,  legal  holidays  excepted. 

ARTICLE  2.  Any  resident  of  Newark  over  fourteen 
years  of  age  shall  be  entitled  to  the  use  of  the  library  by 
signing  the  proper  application  and  agreement.1  Non- 
residents may  take  books  from  the  library  on  payment  of 
three  dollars  per  year ;  temporary  residents  may  have  the 
same  privilege  on  payment  of  fifty  cents  per  month.  Ap- 
plications must  be  renewed  every  three  years. 

ARTICLE  3.  Minors  under  eighteen  years  of  age  will 
be  required  to  furnish  the  written  consent  and  guarantee 
of  parents,  guardian,  or  some  person  satisfactory  to  the 
Trustees  or  Librarian.  All  applications  must  be  signed 
at  the  library. 

ARTICLE  4.  Each  person  entitled  to  draw  books  from 
the  library  will  be  supplied  with  a  card,  inscribed  with  his 

1  Many  public  libraries  employ  a  system  of  '  guaranties,'  as  de- 
scribed in  the  following  regulation  of  the  Silas  Bronson  library,  Water- 
bury,  Connecticut :  — 

Any  resident  of  the  city  may  take  books  from  the  library,  after 
depositing  with  the  Librarian  a  written  guaranty,  signed  by  a  resident 
freeholder  or  other  responsible  person,  that  the  books  loaned  shall  be 
duly  returned  and  that  all  fines  and  penalties  .  .  .  shall  be  paid. 

This  regulation  was  drawn  by  Dr  W.  F.  POOLE,  who  has  introduced 
a  similar  one  in  the  other  libraries  of  which  he  has  had  charge,  finding 
it  the  most  satisfactory  method  of  securing  the  library  against  loss. 


Appendix   VI — Library  Rules          157 

or  her  name,  residence,  and  register  number.  This  card 
must  be  presented  whenever  a  book  is  taken,  returned,  or 
renewed.  If  lost,  it  will  be  replaced  after  seven  days  upon 
payment  of  ten  cents,  or,  without  fee,  at  the  expiration  of 
twenty  days.  Immediate  notice  of  a  change  of  residence 
must  be  given  at  the  library.  The  registered  holder  of  a 
card  is  in  all  cases  responsible  for  books  drawn  by  means 
of  the  card  by  whomsoever  presented,  and  for  all  fines 
accrued  on  the  same. 

ARTICLE  5.  For  teachers  in  public  or  private  schools 
of  good  standing,  teacher  cards  may  be  issued,  one  for 
each  teacher,  upon  which  six  books  at  each  time  may  be 
taken  out  for  the  use  of  their  pupils.  These  books  shall 
be  upon  subjects  connected  with  the  studies  of  the  school. 
Teachers  shall  be  responsible  for  all  books  so  taken,  and 
shall  return  any  such  book  upon  a  written  notification  of 
the  Librarian  that  the  book  is  desired  by  another  person. 

ARTICLE  6.  The  Librarian  shall  keep  a  record  of  the 
names  of  the  persons  entitled  to  the  use  of  the  library. 

ARTICLE  7.  One  volume2  may  be  taken  out  at  a  time 
and  retained  two  weeks  (unless  labelled  '  Seven-day 
book '),  and  may  be  renewed  once  for  the  same  period. 
Seven-day  books  cannot  be  renewed.  Any  book,  except 
fiction,  may  be  reserved  on  payment  of  two  cents. 

ARTICLE  8.  Books  of  reference  and  those  deemed  by 
the  Book  Committee  unsuitable  for  general  circulation 
shall  not  be  loaned  for  home  use,  except  upon  special  per- 
mission of  the  Committee  or  Librarian.  Such  books  will 
be  designated  in  the  printed  catalogue  by  a  *;  and  in  the 
card  catalogue  by  the  letter  '  R '  (in  red),  placed  above 
the  call  number. 

ARTICLE  9.  A  fine  of  two  cents  a  day  shall  be  im- 
posed if  a  book  is  kept  overtime,  and  at  the  expiration  of 
three  weeks  (if  the  book  is  not  returned),  a  messenger  will 
be  sent  for  the  book,  and  shall  have  authority  to  collect 
the  fine  incurred,  and  an  additional  fee  of  twenty  cents 

2  In  some  libraries  two  or  three  volumes  of  one  work  are  allowed  to 
be  taken  at  one  time,  thereby  avoiding  the  confusion  otherwise  arising 
from  several  persons  trying  to  read  the  same  work  at  the  same  time. 


158  Appendix   VI — Library  Rules 

for  such  messenger  service.  No  book  will  be  delivered 
to  the  person  incurring  the  fine  until  it  is  paid. 

ARTICLE  10.  Books  are  not  to  be  exchanged  the  same 
day  they  are  taken  out,  unless  mistakes  have  been  made 
by  the  library  attendants. 

ARTICLE  n.  If  any  borrower  lose  or  materially  in- 
jure a  book,  paper,  or  magazine  belonging  to  the  library 
or  reading  rooms,  he  shall  furnish  another  copy  of  the 
same  or  later  edition,  or  pay  the  Librarian's  appraisement, 
at  his  option.  If  the  book  so  lost  or  injured  be  a  part  of 
a  set,  he  shall  replace  or  pay  for  the  entire  set,  and  may 
thereupon  receive  the  remaining  volumes  as  his  property. 
Writing  in  books  is  strictly  prohibited. 

ARTICLE  12.  Persons  desiring  library  books  for  use 
in  the  reading  rooms  or  reference  department,  may  obtain 
them  by  filling  out  the  slips  prepared  for  that  purpose,  and 
such  books  shall  not  be  taken  from  the  building. 

ARTICLE  13.  Persons  desirous  of  having  certain  books 
added  to  the  library,  are  requested  to  give  titles  of  them 
to  the  Librarian,  to  be  suggested  for  the  consideration  of 
the  Book  Committee. 

ARTICLE  14.  Any  person  abusing  the  privileges  of 
the  library,  or  violating  any  of  the  foregoing  regulations, 
shall  be  temporarily  suspended  from  the  use  of  the  library, 
and  the  case  shall  be  reported  to  the  Library  Committee 
for  proper  action  thereon. 


BIOGRAPHIC   SKETCHES    OF  LIBRARIANS   WHOSE 
PORTRAITS  APPEAR  IN  THIS  BOOK 


William  Frederick  Pcole,  LL-^>.  (page  31),  late  Librarian  New- 
berry  Library,  Chicago.  Born  in  Salem,  Massachusetts,  in  1821,  and 
graduated  at  Yale  College  in  1849,  ne  nad  already  begun  his  life-work, 
being  in  his  senior  year  librarian  of  his  college  society,  the  Brothers  in 
Unity,  and  having  brought  out  in  1848  the  first  edition  of  his  famous 
Index  to  Periodical  Literature.  He  was  Librarian  successively  of  the 
Boston  Mercantile  Library,  the  Boston  Athenaeum,  Cincinnati  Public 
Library,  and  Chicago  Public  Library  before  assuming  his  latest  position. 
A  member,  in  1853,  of  the  first  librarians'  convention,  he  was  prominent 
in  the  American  Library  Association  from  its  inception  in  1876,  and  was 
its  president  in  1886-88.  From  the  first,  Dr  POOLE  has  been  a  recognized 
authority  on  all  practical  matters  of  library  management,  and  very  many 
of  the  methods  now  widely  in  vogue  were  of  his  originating.  The  second 
edition  of  his  Index  was  published  in  1853,  and  the  third  in  1882,  followed 
by  supplements  in  1887  and  1892.  Dr  POOLE  made  many  important  a  n- 
tributions  to  the  periodical  press  on  American  history,  his  attention  being 
devoted  chiefly  to  constructive  criticism  of  careless  or  biased  writers,  calcu- 
lated to  promote  sound  and  wholesome  historical  views.  He  has  thus  shed 
much  light  on  disputed  points  in  the  history  of  witchcraft  in  America,  r.nd 
in  regard  to  the  ordinance  of  1787.  His  high  standing  as  a  historical  writer 
is  evidenced  by  his  selection,  in  1887,  as  president  of  the  American  His- 
torical Association.  His  death,  occurring  March  ist,  1894.  just  after  the 
removal  of  his  library  into  its  new  building,  which  stands  as  his  monument, 
was  tha  severest  loss  American  librarianship  has  known. 

Ainsworth  Rand  Spofford,  LL.D-  (page  80),  Librarian  of  Con- 
gress. Born  in  Gilmanton,  New  Hampshire,  in  1825,  he  engaged  in  busi- 
ness in  Cincinnati  as  bookseller  and  publisher,  but  left  that  occupation  in 
1861  to  become  first  assistant  librarian  of  Congress.  Three  years  later  he 
was  made  Librarian.  In  the  thirty  years  of  his  administration  the  library 
has  grown  from  70,000  volumes  to  nearly  700,000;  and  for  many  years  its 
quarters  have  been  so  inadequate  that  it  has  required  skill  amounting  to 
genius  to  administer  the  library  to  the  satisfaction  of  its  patrons.  D' 
SPOFFORD  has  been  equal  to  the  emergency,  and  his  wide  knowledge  of 
books  and  marvellous  memory  have  made  his  services  invaluable  to  the 
members  of  Congress  and  other  government  officers.  Since  1870,  the  copy- 
right office  has  been  combined  with  that  of  Librarian  of  Congress,  adding 
largely  to  the  labors  and  responsibilities  of  his  position.  Dr  SPOFFORD  has 
been  active  as  a  writer,  having  edited  The  American  Almanac  from  1878  to 


160  Biographic  Sketches 

1889, the  Library  of  Choice  Literature,  1881-88  (10  volumes),  the  Libraryof 
Wit  and  Humor,  1885(5  volumes),  and  A  Manual  of  Parliamentary  Rules. 

George  Ticknor,  LL.D.  (page  16),  was  born  in  Boston,  in  1791,  and 
died  there  at  the  age  of  eighty.  Graduating  from  Dartmouth  College  at 
16,  he  spent  several  years  in  study  in  Europe,  and  on  his  return  was  pro- 
fessor of  modern  languages  and  literature  at  Harvard  College  for  fifteen 
years.  He  virtually  created  his  department,  and  brought  it  up  to  the 
highest  efficiency.  Combining  brilliant  scholarship  with  sound  practical 
wisdom,  he  was  a  man  of  great  influence  outside  the  college  as  well  as 
within.  When  the  Boston  Public  library  was  founded,  he  really  gave 
to  the  movement  its  popular  direction,  and  in  so  doing  moulded  the 
whole  future  of  the  public  library  system  in  America.  A  firm  believer 
in  culture  for  the  masses,  he  gave  to  the  Boston  library  his  collection  of 
Spanish  and  Portuguese  literature,  the  largest  in  the  United  States.  The 
History  of  Spanish  Literature,  1849  (3  volumes),  was  the  great  literary 
work  of  his  life.  Mr  TICKNOR  also  wrote  and  translated  several  other 
works,  and  in  1864  published  a  Life  of  VV.  H.  PRESCOTT.  His  own 
Life,  Letters,  and  Journals  (2  volumes),  appeared  in  1870. 

Justin  Winsor,  LL.D.  (page  65),  Librarian  of  Harvard  University. 
Born  in  Boston  in  1831,  and  educated  at  Harvard  College  and  the  Univer- 
sity of  Heidelberg,  in  1868  he  was  appointed  Superintendent  of  the  Bos- 
ton Public  library,  where  he  remained  until  1877,  when  he  accepted  the 
librarianship  at  Harvard.  His  nine  years  in  the  Boston  library  were 
marked  by  rapid  growth  and  development  in  the  institution,  and  the  ad- 
mirable system  of  administration  which  has  made  the  library  a  model  one 
owes  much  to  his  wise  and  skilful  direction.  The  library  was  called  on  to 
meet  increasing  demands  from  scholars  on  the  one  hand,  and  on  the  other 
from  the  people ;  Dr  WINSOR'S  scholarly  tastes  were  so  combined  with 
a  large  appreciation  of  the  mission  of  the  library  to  the  masses  of  the  peo- 
ple as  to  make  his  administration  favorable  to  both.  The  library  secured 
at  that  time  many  of  the  valuable  special  collections  for  which  it  is  distin- 
guished, and  at  the  same  time  increased  greatly  in  popularity  and  in  useful- 
ness through  its  circulating  department.  At  Harvard,  while  administering 
the  library  with  the  same  marked  ability,  Dr  WINSOR  has  completed  a 
large  amount  of  literary  work  in  his  favorite  departments,  American  his- 
tory and  cartography,  and  Shakespearian  bibliography.  He  was  the  first 
president  of  the  American  Library  Association,  holding  the  office  for  ten 
years,  and  has  always  been  one  of  its  most  valued  members.  He  has  also 
been  president  of  the  American  Historical  Association,  and  is  a  leading 
member  of  the  Massachusetts  Historical  Society.  D'  WINSOR'S  principal 
publications  are  the  History  of  Duxbury,  1849,  The  Original  Folios  and 
Quartos  of  Shakespeare,  1877,  Memorial  History  of  Boston,  1880-82  (4  vol- 
umes), and  Narrative  and  Critical  History  of  America,  1886-89  (8  vol- 
umes). He  is  now  at  work  on  what  is  in  effect  a  History  of  American 
Geography,  of  which  his  lohnnbus,  1891,  and  his  Cartier  to  Frontenac, 
1894,  are  two  °f  tne  intended  six  volumes. 


INDEX 


ABBOT,  ABIEL,  103 

Access  to  shelves,  76 

Accession-book,  65 

ADAMS,  CHARLES  FRANCIS,  and  the 

Crane  library,  118 
Age  limit  for  book  borrowers,  156 
Akron,  O.,  Public  library,  151 
Alabama,  no  free  libraries  in,  153 
ALBRIGHT,  J.  J.,  gift  to  Scranton, 

Pa.,  146 

Alexandrian  library,  10 
ALLAN,  JESSIE,  150 
Allegheny,  Pa.,  Carnegie  library,  146, 

15I 

ALLEN,  M"  MARY,  gift  to  Hendale, 
O.,  146 

American  Library  Association,  85  ; 
meetings  of,  88 

A.  L.  A.  Index,  6^,  90 

AMES,  Mr  and  M"  OLIVER,  gift  to 
No.  Easton,  Mass.,  145 

Amherst  College  library,  107 ;  stack 
building,  view,  40  ;  BRACE  Collec- 
tion, 143 

Analytical  catalogue  entries,  62 

Arkansas,  Libraries  in,  152 

Arlington,  Mass.,  Public  library,  145 

ARNOLD,  E.  C.,  149 

Artisans,  value  of  libraries  to,  34-36 

Assyrian  libraries,  9 

Astor  library,  108  ;  building,  40  ;  cost 
of  serials,  116;  endowment,  146 

Aurora,  111.,  Public  library,  148 


BAIN,  JAMES,  Junr,  113 
BALL,  LUCY,  150 
BALLARD,  HARLAN  H.  149 
Baltimore,  libraries  of,  100;  gifts  to 
libraries,  144 


Baltimore,  Enoch  Pratt  library,  145, 

149 

Bancroft  library,  San   Francisco,  108 
Bangor,  Me.,  Public  library,  144,  149 
BARTLETT,  LOUISE  L.,  151 
BASSETT,  HOMER  F.,  148 
BATES,  JOSHUA,  gift  to  Boston,  18, 

X45 
BAXTER,    H.    H.,    founder    library, 

Rutland,  Vt.,  146 
BAXTER,  JAMES   P.,  gift  to  public 

library,  Portland,  Me.,  144 
Bay  City,  Mich.,  Public  library,  150 
Belchertown,    Mass.,   Clapp   library, 

•45 

Belfast,  Me.,  Public  library,  144 
Belleville.  111.,  Public  library,  148 
Bequests  to  libraries,  18,  29,  143-5 
Berlin,  Canada,  Public  library,  112 
BERTRAM,  J.,  heirs  of,  gift  to  Salem, 

.Mass.,  145 

Bibliographies,  use  of,  63,  64 
Birchard  library,  Fremont,  O.,  151 
BLACKSTONE,  J.  B.,  gift  to  Branford, 

Conn.,  144 

BOLTON,  CHARLES  K.,  149 
Bookcases,  49,  50 

Books,  care  in  treatment  of,  70;  re- 
commended for  purchase,  71,  158 
Booksellers,  purchases  from.  72 
BORROWS,  J.  M..  151 
Boston  public  library,  15,  16,  18;  old 

building,    40  ;    new   building,   41  ; 

view  of  new  building,  frontispiece; 

FRANKLIN  collection,  143  ;   Tick- 

nor   library,    143;    statistics,    145, 

149 

BRACE,  JONATHAN,  D.  D.  143 
Branch  libraries,  Baltimore,  102 
Branford,  Conn..  Public  library,  144 
Brantford.  Can..  Public  library,  112 
BRETT,  WILLIAM  H..  151 
BREWSTER,  JOHN,  gift  to  \Volfboro, 

N.  H.   146 


1 62 


Index 


Bridgeport,  Conn.,  Public  library,  144, 

148 
British  Museum,  PANIZZI'S  reforms 

in,  13;  catalogue  in  MS.,  58 
BRONSON,  SILAS,  gift  to  Waterbury, 

Ct.,  144 
Brookline,  Mass.,  Public  library,  149; 

children's  room  in  library,  77 
Brown  University  library,  107 
BROWNING,  ELIZA  G.,  148 
BKYCE,  JAMES  P.,  148 
Buildings,  see  Library  buildings 
BUMPAS,  A.  L.,  149 
BUNCHER,  Mrs  M.  J.,  150 
Burlington,  Iowa.  Public  library,  149 
Burlington,  Vt.,  Fletcher  library,  151 


California,  libraries  in,  154 

Cambridge,  Mass.,  Public  library,  145, 
149 

Canada,  libraries  in,  111-114 

CAPEN,  EDWARD,  149 

Card  catalogues,  illustration,  58,  60 

Card  used  by  book  borrowers,  156 

CARLYLE,  THOMAS,  78 

Carnegie  libraries,  Allegheny  and 
Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  146,  151 

CARR,  HENRY  {.,  151 

CASE,  LEONARD,  founder  library, 
Cleveland,  O.,  146 

Catalogue,  British  Museum  MS.,  58; 
dictionary,  61  ;  of  library  of  Sur- 
geon-General's office,  105;  com- 
bined, of  several  libraries,  119 

Catalogues,  educational,  33  ;  printed, 
57;  card,  58,  60;  classified,  62  note 

Catalogue  entries,  author,  subject,  and 
title,  61  ;  analytical,  62 

Cataloguing,  co-operative,  63 

Catskills,  librarians'  meeting  at,  1888, 
89 

Central  agencies,  118,  119 

Charging  systems,  66 

CHASE,  FREDERICK  A.,  149 

Chatham,  Can.,  Public  library,  112 

Cheap  editions  of  books,  69 

Chelsea,  Mass.,  Public  library,  145 

CHENEY,  JOHN  VANCE,  148 

Chicago,  library  meeting  and  exhibit, 
(1893)  91,  92;  libraries  in,  endow- 
ments of,  144 


Chicago    Public    library,    148 ;    new 

building,  view,  23 

University  of,  107 

Chicopee,  Mass  ,  Public  library,  39 
Children,  provision  for,  in   libraries, 

77 

Chilicothe.  O.,  Public  library,  151 
Cincinnati  Public  library,  151  ;  books 

on  Ohio,  143 

CLAPP,   JOHN    F.,  gift   to  Belcher- 
town,  Mass.,  145 
Class-lists,  62  note 
Classification  of  books,  52-57  ;  scheme 

of,  121-137 

Classified  catalogues,  62  note 
Cleveland  Public  library,  146,  151 
CLOWDSLEY,  W.  F..  148 
Clubs,  libraries  of,  109 
COE,   ELLEN  M.,   151;  on  Sunday 

opening,  140 

COLE,  GEO.  WATSON,  150 
Collation  of  books,  66 
College  libraries,  106,  107 
COLLINS,  ALFRED  S.,  151 
Colorado,  libraries  in,  154 
Columbia  College  library,  106,  107 
Compulsory  library  laws,  27 
Concord,  Mass.,  Public  library,  145, 

149 

Concord,  N.  H  ,  Public  library,  150 
Congressional   library,   new  building, 

44,  45 ;  plan,  42  ;  view,  73 
Connecticut,  libraries  in,  16,  23,  154 
Connecticut    Courani    on     libraries, 

(1774)  12 

CONVERSE,  Mr  and  Mrs,  gift  to  Mai- 
den, Mass.,  145 
COOLIDGE,  T.  JEFFERSON,  gift  to 

Manchester,  Mass.,  145 
Co-operation  of  libraries,  116,  117 
Co-operative  cataloguing,  63 
Cornell  University  library,  106,  107 
COSSITT,   F.  H.,  gift   to   Memphis, 

Tenn.,  146 

Cost  of  library  books,  70 
Covering  of  books,  66 
CRANE,   THOMAS,  heirs  of,  gift  to 

Quincy,  Mass.,  145 
CRERAR,     JOHN,    founder     library, 

Chicago,  144 
CROMBIE,  H.,  150 
CRUNDEN,  FREDERICK  M.,  150;  on 

value  of  free  library,  38,  39  ;  Pres. 

Amer.  Lib.  Assoc.,  88 


Index 


163 


Culture  through  reading,  37 

Cumberland,  Richard,  and  the  Que- 
bec library,  1 1 1 

CURRAN,  MARY  H.,  149 

CUTLER,  MARY  S.,  on  Sunday  open- 
ing, 140 

CUTTER,  C.  A.,  rules  for  cataloguing, 
64  note;  Pres.  Amer.  Lib.  Assoc., 
88 

CUTTER,  WILLIAM  R.,  150 


DANA,  JOHN  COTTON,  148 
Dartmouth  College  library,  107 
Dayton,  O.,  Public  library,  151 
Decatur,  111  ,  Public  library,  148 
Delaware,  no  free  libraries  in,  153 
Denver,  Col.,  Public  library,  148 
Detroit,  Mich.,  Public  library,  150 
DEVVEY,   MELVIL,  87;  Pres.  Amer. 

Lib.  Association,  88 
DICKENS,  C.,  novels,  34  note 
Dictionary  catalogue,  61 
District  school  libraries,  21 
Dover,  N.  H.,  Public  library,  150 
DOWSE,   THOMAS,  gifts  to   Boston 

Public  library,  18 
DRYDEN,  MINTA  I.,  151 
DUCHE,  JACOB,  cited,  95 


East  Saginaw,  Mich.,  Hoyt  library, 
145 

EDGELL,  MOSES,  gift  to  Public  lib- 
rary, Framingham,  Mass.,  145 

EDGERTON,  M.  PAULINE,  151 

Educational  work  of  the  library,  36, 

78 
EDWARDS,  E.,  Memoirs  of  Libraries, 

cited,  64  note 

Electric  light,  50,  51,  74 

Elgin,  111.,  Gail  Borden  library,  148 

Endowment  fund  of  the  Amer.  Lib. 
Association,  90 

England,  library  movement  in,  13, 
n,  22  ;  American  librarians'  visit 
to,  89 

Enoch  Pratt  Free  library  of  Balti- 
more, 100 

ESTABROOK.  CHARLES,  151 


I  EVANS,  ALICE  G  ,  148 
Evansville,  Ind.,  Willard  library,  148 
EVERETT,     EDWARD,    and    Boston 
Public  library,  17 


Fair  Haven,  Mass.,  Millicent  library, 
145 

Fees,  Library,  and  popular  use,  11 

Fiction,  31-34 

Fines  on  books,  157 

Court,  applied  to  library  sup- 
port, 24 

Fireplace  in  reading-room,  75 

First  free  library,  102 

Fitchburg,  Mass.,  Wallace  library 
145,  149 

FITZ,  EUSTACE  C.,  gift  to  Chelsea, 
Mass.,  145 

FLETCHER,  WILLIAM  I.,  Pres 
Amer.  Lib.  Assoc.,  88 

Fletcher  library,  Burlington,  Vt.,  151 

FLINT,  WESTON,  152 

Florida,  libraries  in,  152 

FOLSOM,  CHARLES,  at  ist  library 
convention  (1853)  85 

Fond  du  Lac,  Wis.,  Public  library, 

Forbes  library,  Northampton,  Mass., 
46,  145  ;  view,  46 ;  plan,  48 

FOSTER,  WILLIAM  E.,  151 

Framingham,  Mass.,  Public  library, 
145 

FRANKLIN,  B.,  and  public  libraries, 
10  ;  Philadelphia  Library,  93  ;  col- 
lection on,  Boston  Public  library, 

•43 

Free"  libraries,  GEORGE  TICKNOR'S 
idea  of,  17;  vs.  other  public  libra- 
ries, icg,  no 

Free  use  of  libraries  vs.  fees,  38,  39 

Fremont,  O.,  Birchard  library,  151 

FURBISH,  ALICE  C.,  149 


GALE,  S.  C.,  founder  library,  Holden 

Mass.,  145 

Galesbur;.  111.,  Public  library,  148 
Gardner,  Mass.,  Public  library,  145 
GARLAND,  CAROLINE  H.,  150 
GAST,  HARRIET  A.,  151 


164 


Index 


Geneseo,  N.  Y.,'  Wadsworth  library, 

I5I 

Georgia,  libraries  in,  152 
Gifts  to  libraries,   18,  29,  143  ;  table 

of,  144-146 
OILMAN,    President    D.    C.,    cited, 

73 

Glendale,  O.,  Public  library,  146 
GOSLEE,  Miss,  148 
Government  and  libraries,  14 
Grand  Rapids,  Mich.,  Public  library, 

150 
GREEN,    SAMUEL    S..    150  ;    Pres. 

Amer.  Lib.  Assoc.,  88 ;  on  Sunday 

opening,    140 

Grosvenor  library,  Buffalo,  108 
Guaranties  for  book  borrowers,  156 
Guelph,  Canada,  Public  library,  112 
GUILD,  REUBEN  A.,  85,  86;  'The 

Librarian's  Manual,'  86 


H 

Hackley  library,  Muskegon,  Mich., 
145,  150 

HAGAR,  SARAH  C.,  151 

HALE,  E.  J.  M.,  gift  to  Public  li- 
brary, Haverhill,  Mass.,  145 

"Halifax,  N.  S.,  Legislative  library, 
114 

HALL,  HENRY,  gift  to  St  Paul, 
Minn.,  145 

Hamilton,  Can.,  Public  library,  112 

Harris  Institute,  Woonsocket,  R.  I., 

'51 

HARRIS,  WILLIAM  T.,  152 

Hartford,  Conn.,  Libraries  in,  16  note, 
117;  Watkinson  library,  144;  Pub- 
lic library,  148 

Harvard  University  library,  106  ;  Ley- 
den  system  of  catalogue  in,  59; 
Cost  of  serials  in,  1 16 

HARVEY,  Miss  C.  C.,  148 

HAVEN,  SAMUEL  F.,  at  ist  library 
convention  (1853)  85 

Haverhill,  Mass.,  Public  library,  145, 
149 

HAYWARD,  ALMIRA  L.,  149 

HAZARD,  M^  WILLIAM  A.,  gift  to 
found  Tilden  library,  101  note 

HAZELTON,  W.  P.,  gift  to  Stockton, 
Cal.,  1^4 

HEDGE,  FREDERIC  H.,  149 


HERSEY,  SAMUEL  F.,  gift  to  Ban 

gor,  Me.,  144 

HEWINS,  CAROLINE  M.,  148 
HEYWOOD,    L.,    Heirs    of,  gifts   to 

Gardner,  Mass.,  145 
HILD,  FREDERICK  H.,  148 
HILL,  FRANK  P.,  150,  156 
HILLS,  AGNES,  148 
Historical  Society  libraries,  104 
Holden,  Mass.,  Gale  library,  145 
HOSMER,  JAMES  K.,  99,  150 
HOUGH,  GEORGIA,  151 
HOUGHTON,  JOHN  C.,  149 
HOVEY,  E.  C.,  91 
HOWARD,  ANNIE  T.,  gift   to   New 

Orleans.  144 
HOWLAND,  GEORGE,  Jr.,  gift  to  New 

Bedford,  Mass.,  97 
HOWLAND,  SYLVIA  ANN,  gift  to  New 

Bedford,  Mass.,  97,  145 
HOYT,  JESSE,    gift   to   E.    Saginaw 

Mich.,  145 


Idaho,  no  free  libraries  in,  153 
Ilion,  N.  Y.,  Public  library,  146 
Illinois,  library  law,  23  ;  libraries  in, 

J54 

Index,  Poole's,  see  POOLE,  W.  F. , 
to  scientific  transactions,  proposed, 
86  ;  to  general  literature,  90 

Indexer,  Rudolph,  59 

Indexes,  63 

Indiana,  libraries  in,  154 

Indianapolis,  Ind.,  Public  library,  148 

Indicator,  the,  113 

Industrial  benefits  of  libraries,  34-36 

INGRAHAM,  R.  C.,  149 

Injuries  to  books,  regulations,  158 

Iowa,  libraries  in,  154 


Jackson,  Mich.,  Public  library,  150 
JAMES,  HANNAH  P.,  151 
JERMAIN,  Mr*  F.  D.,  151 
Jersey  City,  Public  library,  150 
JEVONS,  W.  S.,  on  public  libraries,  39 
JEWETT,   C.  C.,  So;  at   ist  library 

convention  (1853),  85 
Johns  Hopkins  University  library,  107 
JONES,  GARDNER  M.,  149 


Index 


165 


Kalamazoo,  Mich.,  Public  library,  150 
Kansas,  libraries  in,  154 
Kansas  City,  Mo.,  Public  library,  150 
KELLY,  HIRAM,  gift  to  Chicago  Pub- 
lic library,  144 
KELSO,  TESSA  L.,  148 


Labelling  books,  66 

Lafayette,  Ind.,  Public  library,  148 

LAIDLEY,  CAROLINE  S.,  149 

LAMPREY,  MARY  L.,  149 

Lancaster,  Mass.,  Public  library,  149 

LARNED,  J.  N.,  on  Sunday  opening 
140;  President  A.  L.  A'.,  88 

Lawrence,  Mass.,  Public  library,  149 

Laws,  see  Library  laws 

LEA,  HENRY  C.,  gift  to  Philadelphia 
Library  Co.,  146 

LECOMB,  DANIEL,  150 

Lectures  and  libraries,  14 

Lehigh  University  library,  107 

Lenox  library,  108,  146 

LEWIS,  EVELYN  S.,  149 

Leyden  University  library :  interior 
view,  10  ;  catalogue,  59 

Librarian's  duty  to  his  successors,  120 

'Librarian's  Manual,  The,'  by  K.  A. 
GUILD,  86 

Librarians,  qualifications  of,  81 ;  spe- 
cialists as,  8 1  ;  training  of,  82  ; 
women  as.  83  :  convention  of,  N.  Y., 
I^53>  85 ;  Association  of,  pro- 
posed in  1853,  86;  associations  of, 
local,  91 ;  see  American  Library 
Association 

Librarianship,  80 

Library  associations,  91 

Library  buildings,  40  ;  memorial,  18  ; 
fire-proof,  44 ;  expense  of,  47  ;  in- 
ternal arrangement,  47,  48 

Amherst  College,  view  of  stack, 

40;  Astor,  40;  Boston  Public,  41, 
51  note,  view,  frontispiece  ;  Chicago 
Public,  view,  23 ;  Congressional,  44, 
45,  view,  73,  plan,  42 ;  Forbes,  46 
nofe,  view,  46,  plan,  48  ;  Harvard 
University,  view,  106  ;  Leyden 
University,  view  (1600),  10;  Min- 
neapolis Public,  98,  99,  view,  99 ; 


New  York  Mercantile,  46  note, 
view,  50;  Newberry  41,  45,  view, 
45 ;  Peabody  Institute,  40 ;  Ridg- 
way,  96,  view  96 

Library  Bureau,  60 

Library  clubs,  91 

Library  Commissions,  State,  24,  118 

Library  Journal,  90 

Library  laws,  15,  20-28 

Lighting  of  book-rooms,  50 ;  of  read- 
ing-rooms, 47,  48,  51,  74 

Linotype,  62 

Loans,  record  of,  66 

LOGAN,  JAMES,  and  the  Philadelphia 
library,  94 

Los  Angeles,  Cal.,  Public  library,  148 

Lost  books,  regulations,  157,  158 

Louisiana,  libraries  in,  152 

Lowell.  Mass.,  Public  library,  149 

LUBBOCK,  Sir  JOHN,  39 

I.yc2iim  lectures,  14 

Lynn,  Mass.,  Public  library,  145,  149 

M 

McCAINE,  M^  H.  J.,   IjO 

Madison,  Wis.,  Public  library,  151 
Maine  library  law,  21,  22  ;    libraries 

in,  154 
Maiden,  Mass.,   Public   library.  '.45, 

149 

Management  of  libraries,  Laws  regu- 
lating, 23 

Manchester,  Mass.,  Public  library,  145 
Manchester,   N.   H.,    Public   library, 

150 

Marking  books,  66 
MARVIN,  KATHARINE  M.,  149 
Maryland,  libraries  in,  152 
Massachusetts,  library  law,  15,  21,  22  ; 
Library  Commission,   24,    103;  li- 
braries in,  25,  154 
Mechanics  Institutes  in  Canada,  112 
Medford,  Mass.,  Public  library,  149 
Memphis,  Tenn.,  Cossitt  library,  146 
METCALF,  ANNA,  151 
Methuen,  Mass.?  Kevins  library,  145 
Michigan,  libraries  in,  154 

University  of,  library,  107 

Middle  Ages,  libraries  in,  10 
Milwaukee,  Wis..  Public  library,  151 
Minneapolis  Public  library,  98,  1451 

1 50 ;  view,  99 
Minnesota,  libraries  in,  154 


166 


Index 


Missionary  aspect  of  libraries,  12,  37, 
38 

Mississippi,  libraries  in,  152 

Missouri,  libraries  in,  154 

Montana,  libraries  in,  152 

Montreal,  Canada,  McGill  University 
library,  114;  Montreal  College  li- 
brary, 114 

Moral  value  of  libraries,  37,  38 

MUNROE,  WILLIAM,  gift  to  Concord, 
Mass.,  145 

Museums  with  libraries,  99 

Muskegon,  Mich.,  Hackley  library, 
145,  150 

N 

Nashua,  N.  H.,  Public  library,  150 
Nebraska,  libraries  in,  152 
NEUBAUER,  MARGUERITE,  148 
Nevada,  no  free  libraries  in,  153 
NEVINS,    D.,  heirs  of,  gift   to  Me- 

thuen,  Mass.,  145 
New  Bedford,  Mass.,  Public  library, 

96,  145,  149 
New  books  vs.  old,  71 
New  England   Historic  Genealogical 

Society,  104 

New  Hampshire,  library  laws,  21,  22, 
27;    Library  Commission,   25;   li- 
braries in,   103,  154 
New  Haven,  Conn.,  Public  library,  148 
New  Jersey,  libraries  in,  154 
New  London,  Conn.,  Public  library, 

148 

New  Orleans,  Howard  library,  144 
New  York  City,  Library  Club,  Hand- 
book of,  119;  libraries  in,  endow- 
ments of,   146;    Free   Circulating 
library,  151;  Y.  M.  C.  A.  library, 
146;  Apprentices', 1 54;  Aguilar,i54 
New  York  State,  libraries  in,  16, 119, 
154  ;  library  law,  25 ;  Regents  and 
libraries,  25  ;  State  library,  26 
Newark,   N.  J.,  Public  library,  150, 

rules,  156 
Newberry  library,  Chicago,  108,  144  ; 

building,  41,  44,  45  ;  view,  45 
NEWBERRY,  WALTER,  144 
Newburgh,  N.  Y.,  Public  library,  151 
Newburyport,   Mass.,  Public  library, 

149 

Newport,  N.  H.,  Public  library,  146 
Newport,  R.  I.,  People's  library,  151 


Newton,  Mass.,  Public  library,  149 
NIBLO,  W.,  146 

NORRIS,  J  ,  gift  to  Trenton,  Mo.,  146 
Northampton,  Mass.,  Forbes  library, 

145;  building,  46;  Public,  149 
North  Carolina,  no  free  libraries  in, 

'53 

North  Dakota,  no  free  libraries  in,  1 53 
North   Easton,  Mass.,  Ames  library, 

i45>  M9 

NORTON,  Gen.  CHARLES  B.,  86 
Norwich,  Conn.,  Otis  library,  148 
NOVES,  S.  B.,  So 


Oakland,  Cal.,  Public  library,  148 
Odd  Fellows'  library,  San  Francisco, 

1 08 

Ohio,  library  law,  21  ;  books  on,  in 
Cincinnati  Public  library,  143 ;  li- 
braries in,  154 

Omaha,  Neb.,  Public  library,  146,  150 
One  hundred  largest  libraries,  148 
Ossgon,  no  free  libraries  in,  153 
Osterhout  library,  Wilkes-Barre,  Pa., 
146,  151 

OSTRANDER,  Mr«  M.  F.,   150 

Ottawa,  Canada,  Parliamentary  li- 
brary, 114 


PANIZZI,  ANTHONY,  13,  80 
PARSONS,  M«  A.  F.,  150 
PARSONS,  JOHN  D.,  149 
Paterson,  N.  J.,  Public  library,  151 
Pawtucket,  R.  I.,  Public  library,  151 
PEABODY,  GEORGE,  144 
Peabody   Institute,    Baltimore,    108 ; 

building,  40 
Peabody,  Mass.,   Peabody   Institute, 

149 
Pennsylvania,  libraries  in,  154 

University  of,  library,  107 

Peoria,  111.,  Public  library,  39,  148 
Periodicals,  Poole's  Index  to,  63,  90 ; 

bound  sets  of,  in  reading  room,  75  ; 

combined  catalogue  of,  119 
Peterboro',  N.  H.,  Public  library,  102 
PETERSON,  HENRY  F.,  148 
PETTINGILL,  CATHERINE  B.,gift  to 

Bridgeport,  Conn.,  144 


Index 


167 


Philadelphia  Library  Co.,  n,  12,  20, 
93-96,  146;  Ridgway  branch  build- 
ing, view,  96 

PHILLIPS,  ELIZABETH,  148 

Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  Public  library,  146 

Pittsfield,  Mass.,  Berkshire  Athe- 
n.-eum,  149 

'  Plea  for  Liberty '  against  public  li- 
braries, 14 

POOLE,  \V.  F.,  portrait,  31 ;  on  fic- 
tion, 34;  on  library  buildings,  44, 
45 ;  Index  to  Periodicals,  63,  90 ; 
Organization,  etc  ,  of  Libraries,  cited, 
67  not;  ;  present  at  ist  library  con- 
vention (1853)  85  ;  Prcs.  Amer.  Lib. 
Assoc.,  88  ;  guaranties,  1 56 ;  biog. 
sketch,  159 

Portland,   Me.,    Public  library,   144, 

'49 

Portland,  Ore.,  library,  146 
Portsmouth,    N.  H.,   Public  library, 

150 

Postage  on  library  books,  118 
Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y.,  Public,  151 
PRATT,  ENOCH,  founder  library,  Bal- 
timore, 145 

Pratt  Institute,  Brooklyn,  154 
Princeton  College  library,  107 
Progress  of  libraries,  115 
Providence,  R.  I.,  Public  library,  151 
Public  schools  and  libraries,  14 
Public  sentiment  and  libraries,  28 
Publishing  Section,  Amer.  Lib.  Asso- 
ciation, 90 

Purchase  of  books,  71 
PUTNAM,  HERBERT,  99 


Quebec,  subscription  library  in  (1779), 

in  ;  Legislative  library,  114  ;  Laval 

University  library,  114 
QUINCY,  JOSIAH,  Jr.,  and    Boston 

public  library,  15 
Quincy,  Mass.,  Thomas  Crane  library, 

145,  149;  new  policy  of,  118 

R 

Reading,  GEORGE  TICKNOR  on,  17; 
recreative,  31 ;  guidance  of,  32,  33 

Reading-rooms,  47,  48,  73-76;  warm- 
ing of,  75 


Recreative  reading,  31 

Redwood  library,  Newport,  R.  I.,  12 

REED,  B\  RON,  gift  to  Public  library, 

Omaha,  Neb.,  146 
Reference  books,  48  ;  in  reading-room, 

75;  regulations,  157 
Reterence  libraries,  73,  108 
Reference  work,  73 
'  Relative  '  location  of  books,  56  note 
Religious  value  of  libraries,  37,  38 
Renewals  of  books,  157 
Residence  of  borrowers,  change!,  157 
Revolution,     the,    and    the    library 

movement,  10 
Reynolds  library,  Rochester,  N.  Y., 

146,  151 

Rhode  Island,  libraries  in,  154 
RICE,  PRESCOTT  C.,  149 
RICE,  WILLIAM,  149 
RICH,  ROBERT  E.,  150 
RICHARDS,  DEXTER,  gift  to   New- 

port,  N.  H.,  146 
RICHARDSON,  MARY  A.,  148 
Richmond.  Ind.,  Morrison- Reeves  li- 
brary, 148 
Ridgway  branch,  Phila.  Library,  96; 

view,  96 
RINDGE,  FREDERICK    H.,    gift   to 

Cambridge,  Mass.,  145 
RINEHART,  \V.  H.,  gift  to  Peabody 

Inst.,  Baltimore,  144 
ROBBINS,  M's  ELI,  gift  to  Arlington, 

Mass.,  145 

ROBERTS,  ISABELLA  C  ,  150 
Rochester,  N.  Y.,  Reynolds  library, 

146,  isi 

Rockford,  111.,  Public  library,  148 
ROSE,  EMMA  E.,  151 
ROWLAND,  WILLIAM  L.,  148 
Royal  Society's   Catalogue  of  Scien- 
tific Papers,  86 
Rudolph  indexer.  59 
Rules,  library,  156 
RUSH,  JAMES,  gift  to  the  Phila.del- 

phia  Library,  95,  146 
Rutland,  Vt.,  Baxter  library,  146 
RYERSON,  Dr,  and  public  libraries  in 

Ontario,  in 


Sacramento,   Cal.,    'Indicator'   used 
at,  114  note 


1 68 


Index 


Sage  library,  West  Bay  City,  Mich., 
145,  150 

SAGE,  H.  W.,  gives  library  building 
to  Cornell  University,  107;  gift  to 
West  Bay  City,  Mich.,  145 

St  Catherines,  Canada,  Public  library, 

112 

St  Johnsbury  Athenanim,  Vt.,  151 

St  Louis,  Mo.,  Public  library,  150; 
made  free,  38  note 

St  Paul,  Minn.,  Public  library,  145, 
150 

Salem,  Mass.,  Public  library.  145,  149 

San  Francisco,  Libraries  in,  ic8 ; 
Public  library,  148  ;  fiction  list,  33 

SANDERS,  Mr;>  MINERVA  H.,  151 

SARGENT,  MARY  E.,  149 

SCANTLIN,  Miss,  148 

School  district  libraries,  21 

Schools  and  libraries,  77 

Scientific  libraries,  105 

SCOTT,  Sir  WALTER,  value  of  novels 
of,  34  note 

SCOVILLE,  JAMES  W.,  founder  Insti- 
tute, Chicago,  144 

Scranton,  Pa.,  Public  library,  146,  151 

SEAMANS,  C.  W.,  gift  to  llion,  N.  Y., 
146 

Selection  of  books,  68 

Serials,  cost  of,  116 

Seven-day  books,  157 

Shelf-list,  65 

Shelf-numbers,  56  note 

Shelving,  49,  50 

SHEPARD,  RUTH  C.,  151 

SHUTE,  Mrs,  gift  to  Lynn,  Mass.,  145 

SICKLEY,  JOHN  C.,  151 

Simcoe,  Canada,  Public  library,  112 

SMITH,  CLARA  M.,  149 

SMITH,  ELLA  M.,  gift  to  Portland, 
Ore.,  library,  146 

SMITH,  LLOYD  P.,  80,  95  ;  at  ist 
convention  (1853)  85 

Socialism  and  libraries,  14,  18 

Societies,  index  to  transactions  of, 
proposed,  86 

South  Carolina,  no  free  libraries  in,  1 53 

South  Dakota,  libraries  in,  152 

Special  collections,  138,  139,  143 

SPENCER,  HERBERT,  14 

SPENCER,  KIRBY,  gift  to  Minne- 
apolis, 98,  145 

SPOFFORD,  A.  K.,  portrait,  80;  biog. 
sketch,  159 


Springfield,  111.,  Public  library,  148 
Springfield,    Mass.,     Public    library, 

149;  made  free,  39 
Springfield,  O.,  Public  library,  151 
Stack  system  of  building,  41-44,  49 
Stamping  books,  66 
State,  the,  and  libraries,  14 
State  libraries,  104 
Statistics  of  libraries,  147-154 
STAUFENBIEL,  F.  J.,  148 
STEIN,  VIRGINIA, 148 
STEINER,  BERNARD  C.,  149 
STETSON,  WILLIS  K.,  148 
STEVENS,  DAVID,  151 
STEVENSON,  WILLIAM  M.,  151 
Stockton,   Cal.,   Public   library,   144, 

148 

Subject-catalogue,  61,  62 
Subscription  libraries,  n,  96 
Sunday  opening  of  libraries,  140 
Support  of  libraries  by  court  dues,  24 
Surgeon-General's  office,  Washington, 

library  of,  105 
Sutro  library,  San  Francisco,  108 


Taunton,  Mass.,  Public  library,  1 50 
Taxation,   libraries    exempted    from, 
12,  20;  libraries  supported  by,  22, 
1 54 ;  limited,  for  library  purposes, 
22 

TAYLOR,  BAYARD,  gift  to  Minneapo- 
lis, 98 
Teachers    and    libraries,    78 ;     extra 

books  allowed,  157 
Tennessee,  libraries  in,  152 
Texas,  libraries  in,  152 
THURSTON,  ELIZABETH  P.,  149 
TICKNOR,  GEORGE,  and  Boston  pub- 
lic library,  16 ;  portrait,  16;  Span- 
ish  and    Portuguese   library,    143; 
biog.  sketch,  160 
TILDEN,  S.  J  ,  bequest  to  New  York 

City,  101  note 

Toledo,  O.,  Public  library,  151 
Topeka,  Kans.,  Public  library,  149 
Toronto,   Public  library,   112;  Legis- 
lative library,  114  ;    University   li- 
brary, 1 1 4 

Trenton,  Mo.,  Public  library,  146 
Troy,  N.  Y.,  Y.  M.  Assoc.,  154 
TRUMBULL,  JONATHAN,  148 
Trustees  of  libraries,  23 


Index 


169 


u 

United  States  Bureau  of  Education, 

Statistics  of  libraries,  152 
University,  library  not  a,  78 
University  extension,  77,  78 
University  libraries,  106 
UPTON,  J.  WARREN,  149 
UTLEY,  HENRY  M.,  88,  150 


Vermont,  library   law,    21 ;    libraries 

in.   154 

Virginia,  no  free  libraries  in,  153 
Volumes,  books  in  several,  157  note 


W 

Wadsworth  library,  Geneseo,  N.  Y., 

»5! 

WALDO,  CELIA  F.,  150 

WALLACE,  RODNEY,  gift  to  Fitch- 
burg,  Mass.,  146 

Washington.  City  of,  libraries  in,  105 

Washington,  State  of,  libraries  in, 
152 

Waterbury,  Conn.,  Silas  Bronson  li- 
brary, 144,  148 

Waterloo,  Can.,  Public  library,  112 

Watertown,  Mass.,  Public  library,  150 

Watkinson,  David,  and  Hartford  li- 
braries, 1 08,  117,  1 1 8,  144 

WEST,  THERESA,  151 

West,  the,  libraries  in,  15 

West  Bay  City,  Mich.,  Sage  library, 

M5>  !50 

West  Virginia,  libraries  in,  152 
U'HELPLEY,  A.  W.,  151 


WHITNEY,  CARRIE  W.,  150 
\\HITNEY,  ELLEN  F.,  149 
WHITNEY,  SOLON  F.,  150 
WHITTIER,  J.  H.,  on  State  aid  to 

libraries,  27 
Wilkes-Barre,  Pa.,  Osterhout  library, 

146,  151 

WILLCOX,  E.  S.,  148 
WILLIAMS,  Miss  L.  A.,  149 
WILSON,  N.,  gift  to  Belfast,  Me.,  144 
WINCHESTER,  GEORGE  F.,  151 
WINSOR,  JUSTIN,  portrait,  65;  Pres. 
Amer.  Lib.  Assoc.,  87,  88  ;   on  co- 
operation of  libraries,  119  note ;  on 
Sunday  opening,  140;  biog.  sketch, 
1 60 

WINTHROP,  R.  C.,  9 
Wisconsin,  libraries  in,  154 
Woburn,  Mass..  Public  library,  150 
Wolfboro',    N.    H.,    Public    library, 

146 

Women  as  librarians,  83 
WOOD,  JULIA  S.,  150 
WOODWARD,  R.  C.,  151 
Woonsocket,  R.  I.,  Harris  Institute, 

I5I 

Worcester,  Mass.,  Public  library,  i  !jo 
World's   Fair  (1893)  library   exhibit 

at,  91.  92 

WRIGLEY,  Mrs  S.  A  ,  148 
Wyoming,  libraries  in,  152 


Yale  University  library,  29.  106 
Young,  reading  for  the,  Sargent  on, 

9° 
Y.  M.  C.  A.  libraries.   108;  of  New 

York,  59 
Young  Men's  Institutes,  n 


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